Angel's Are Watching Over You
by BlowMeCastiel
Summary: Hunger Games AU. Dean Winchester, 17 and a tribute in the 74th Hunger Games. Destiel. All Supernatural characters are forced to fight by the capitol for their lives. Dean heavy. Gabriel, Ruby etc
1. The Odds Are Against Us

**Supernatural x The Hunger Games. This is my first crossover so bare with me and don't worry the chapters will be longer after this one and the ball has started rolling. No character belong to me, they are owned by either Kripke or Suzanne Collins.**

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><p>"Dean, Dean. C'mon! Wake up, were going to be late if you don't get up soon!" Dean feels the sharp and rough tugging of his brother at his arm and moans in response, his eyes flickering open as he swings his legs out of bed. He groggily turns to look at his brother Sam, then sighs as it registers to him that today is the day of the reaping. He can see the fear in Sam's eyes, shining out from the bright green pools that are almost identical to his own.<p>

"I'm up, I'm up!" Dean replies,rubbing his eyes.

Sam Winchester, otherwise known as Sammy to his brother Dean, was the youngest of the two Winchester boys. He had scruffy brown hair and bright green eyes, he was the only person in the world Dean truley loved. He was only 6 months old when there mother died from Pneumonia and it became Dean's responsibility to look after him, Dean however never saw it as a burden, in all honesty he probably wouldn't have gotten past his mothers death without Sammy.

District 11 was one of the poorest districts in the country and the majority of the population had to live each day as if it was there last because in reality it very well could be. It wasn't uncommon for diseases like pneumonia to kill people within the district on a regular basis because they were not equipped to deal with it and after their mothers death, their father slumped into a deep depression.

Death was so common in district 11 that after a few days everyone just expected you to go back to your normal life. John Winchester didn't. He didn't go to work, he didn't move from his seat, he didn't take Dean hunting outside the district anymore, he became almost like a statue, cold and lifeless.

Before their mother's death, every week John would take Dean into the woods with his own hand made bow and arrows and hunt animals for their dinner, it was illegal to do so but they were so desperate for food and the district had mostly relaxed rules when the capitol were not involved. After their mothers death not only was is a struggle to get enough food, but also to get his father to eat everyday.

He did nothing but wallow in self pity for 5 years before he finally walked out of the house for the first time. He never returned. Sam and Dean still don't know what happened to him. He was all the whispers talked about for weeks and most people in the district came to the same conclusion, suspecting that he died a long time ago, everyone except for Dean, he believes his father is still out there somewhere, and he can't give up on him when there's the smallest string of hope no matter what he's done. Dean doesn't blame his father, he's just so grateful for the hunting lessons at least, they're the only things that have kept the boys from starvation for all these years, he just wishes his dad was strong enough to have been there for his sons when they needed him the most.

Today was one of the worst days of the year for all residents of district 11, the reaping.

The word tribute is basically another word for death, and this year Dean has reason to be anxious, it's Sam's first year to be entered into the reaping bowl and he tries to hide it but Dean knows Sam is petrified. He knows how unlikely it is that Sam's name will get picked. He's only in once, as for Dean, his name is in there five times.

Both boys dress in their finest outfits, they can't give people in the capitol the impression that life in the districts is deadly, heaven forbid, however Sam's suit is obviously far too big, the arms far surpassing his hands, whilst Deans has the opposite problem, his trouser legs are nearly half way up his calves. The people in the capitol won't notice though, they never do unless it's shoved right into their faces, and even if they do notice they just ignore it, not wanting to acknowledge what awful conditions the capitol are thrusting upon the districts.

They make their way to the town square, walking together in an eerie silence that's always in the air on this date, the birds are quiet, no chirpping today. The only sound they can hear is the thump of their shoes across the pavement. All children are to separate into two groups, males and females and await the selection. One boy and one girl from each district would be randomly selected from the reaping to compete in the hunger games, a game of almost certain death for anyone involved. 24 contestants would enter the arena and fight each other to the death, only one contestant would survive, no massive cash prize, your prize was that you got to carry on living a normal life, if you didn't go insane with the thought of all the innocent life's you've killed first.

As Sam and Dean enter the town square they are forced to separate, the older children at the front, the youngest at the back.

"You'll be fine" Dean says, giving Sam a reassuring hug before watching him as he walks slowly to the back, to his place. Once Sam is in place he turns his attention infront of himself. There is a large stage with two gaping balls stood at the front, like every year in which the tributes anmes are picked from. The bell rings on the centre of the stage shortly afterwards, indicating district 10 has finished its selection and its district 11's turn. Cameras on the rooftops of every shop in the square focus in on the stage and the hushed words between the few who dare speak immediately cut out so it's quiet enough to hear a pin drop as Richard Roman, the town mayor clambers onto the stage.

Richard Roman, a slightly overweight and largely, bigheaded moron was unfortunately in charge of the majority of business that went on in District 11. He was one of the few people that didn't live life day to day fighting to stay alive for the next one and generally he didn't care that everyone around him did. His voice was coarse and his fingers were like little sausages, he made Dean's skin crawl.

He clambers onto the stage, taking his place at the centre. He gets straight to the point.

"Welcome boys and girl to the reaping for the 72nd Hunger games! Let's get stared shall we, Ladies first!" he slurs out to the audience, pushing his meaty hand into the cup labelled 'female', shovelling his hands around the bowl before grabbing a small folded piece of paper and unfolding it slowly.

He takes a breath before bellowing the name "Madison Carter!" cheerfully.

It makes Dean sick to his stomach, how could anyone be happy about this? Dean knows Madison, she's only 12, she and Sam are good friends. He searches the crowd for Sams face; he knows he'll be torn up on the inside even if he isn't showing it on the outside. All he can do is give him a reassuring smile, he's tries his best to convey that everything will be okay as Sams glistening eyes met Deans. It's hard though.

Madison shakily makes her way through the crowd and onto the stage, taking her place. She's petrified and everyone can see it, her eyes are darting all over the place like an animal about to get slaughtered, helpless and afraid. The crowd murmur amongst themselves unhappily, in the same way they do whenever someone as young as her gets chosen, it's not fair, but of course no one offers to take her place.

"Well the fun isn't over yet everyone, we've still got a male tribute to pick, let's get to it shall we?!" Roman bellows to no reply.

Dean wants nothing more than the name on the paper to be Richard Roman, that son of a bitch wouldn't be too happy over the reaping if his name was a possibility in the ball, but of course it won't be, he's far too old to be entered any more. This time he takes out the very first piece of paper he touches and smoothes it out.

"Sam Winchester!"

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><p><strong>Thoughts?<strong>


	2. Departing Goodbyes and Doomed Beginnings

Here's chapter 2 and as promised it is longer than chapter 1 :)

Please review, your comments seriously mean the world to me.

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><p>A cockroach, that's how small Dean feels in this moment. This can't be happening, no. Not Sammy, it's not possible, there are thousands of slips in the ball, and Sam was one in thousands. Air falls slim around Dean's neck, he can't speak, and he's frozen. It's not until he see's Sams face that he regains his movement.<p>

"SAM! SAM!" Dean shouts, urging his brother to look at him as he makes his way through the crowd to the stage. Sam doesn't look, Dean knows why, if he does then he'll fall apart, Sams not dumb, he knows you can't appear weak to your opponents; you have to be strong to stand a fighting chance. Dean begins to run after him, pushing through the crowd urgently.

"I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!" the words are out of Dean's mouth so quick he can't really be sure he said them, he reaches Sam and grabs hold of his arm, yanking him back just before he's about to take the first step up the stage.

"I volunteer" Dean gasps out again, urging for someone to hear him even though everyone heard him the first time he said it, it's complete silence, all Dean can hear is the loud thumping of his heart, racing out of control. Nobody ever volunteers, most family values only go so far, What Deans doing is the rare and incredibly stupid thing to do, but he doesn't care, he has to protect Sam by any means necessary, even if he's signing his own death certificate. He has to do it, it's either his own or Sams.

"Well this is a surprise...we haven't had a volunteer here in District 12 for over 30 years... Well what are you waiting for my boy? get up here!"

"No, Dean! Don't!" Sam is screaming at Dean, trying his best to pull him back, away from the stage. Dean turns around to Sam, bending down slightly to whisper in his ear.

"I love you Sammy, please remember that, I'm doing this because I love you. I'm sorry but I need to do this. Let go Sam" Dean utters the words out, trying his best not to fall apart.

"No, Dean I can't, I won't let you!" Sam cries out hysterically. It takes two of the older boys in the crowd to rip Sam off him, as Dean quickly jumps up the steps before Sam gains a chance to catch him.

Richard grabs Dean by the hand, embracing him in a one armed hug.

"Well then lad, what's your name?" he bellows out, Dean has to resist every urge to punch him in the face; he's such an arrogant dick!

"Dean Winchester" Dean croaks out, his throat is so dry it feels like it's going to close up.

"Ahh! I'll bet my cotton socks that you're young Sam's brother, didn't want him stealing all the glory did you?" He exclaims gleefully. Dean doesn't reply, he points his eyes downwards, avoiding the crowd, he can't risk locking eyes with Sam; he can't risk seeing the pain on Sam's face.

Richard guides Dean next to Madison as the districts anthem is played allowed.

The moment it is over Dean and Madison are surrounded by guards, ensuring that neither try to make a break for it as they're guided to the Justice building. It's one of the nicest buildings in the district, a brick red, standing out from the dull greys of all the other buildings. Dean had never been inside the building before but it met his expectations. The corridors were golden, covered in expensive velvet and silk. Dean is led into a room, opposite the one Madison is being led into to and is urged to sit down. He slowly takes a seat on the couch. It's the softest thing he's ever sat on but yet he feels the most uncomfortable he's ever been.

This is the time when the tributes are given an hour to say goodbye to their loved ones. Dean doesn't expect anyone but Sam to come. Sams the only person that will really care once Dean is gone.

He waits nearly 10 minutes before Sam enters the room, eyes swollen, red and puffy. Dean isn't ready to say goodbye to Sammy but he has no choice in the matter, simple as. For a few minutes neither of them says anything, feeling the warmth in each other's company. Dean then proceeds to tell Sam all of the things that he must remember to do now that he won't be there. Hunt as much as possible and then trade some of the meat he gets for other essentials such as milk and bread and don't let anyone take his trade, he may be small but can put up a good fight and to stay in school. When Dean is finished he drapes his arm around Sam, pulling him into a hug.

"I'll be alright Dean" says Sam "You will too, I just know it Dean, you're such a good hunter and fast, maybe you'll win"

Dean laughs darkly, he knows he won't be coming home, the odds are definitely not in his favour and deep down he knows Sam knows this to. Dean will be up against kids from wealthy districts who take pride and honour in training for these games their whole life, kids who will prolong your death for a cheap thrill to the audience. Sure Dean knows some pretty imaginative ways to use a knife and will be able to get rid of the weaker ones easily, the weeds before the real game begins.

"Maybe" Dean agrees, he doesn't have the heart to disagree with him, not when this may very well be the last conversation they have together. Dean will go down with a fight, he's sure of that, he's not the type of person to just stand around and let them be killed.

"We'd be as rich as Roman then." Dean tries to joke, stroking Sam's back.

"Do you really think I care about that Dean? All I care about is you coming home safely. You will try won't you Dean?" Sam whispers, looking up at him.

"Of course I will Sammy, you know me, never give up without a fight" Dean reassures Sam.

"I've got something for you Dean, they let you wear one personal item in the arena, to remind you of home, I want you to have this."

Sam pushes his hand into his pocket and pulls out the necklace there Dad had left behind when he walked out. Dean had given it to Sam, feeling like Sam needed it more than him and now Sam was giving it back. It was simple, a gold protection amulet that Sam had kept on his person for all these years. Dean was surprised.

"I can't Sam, No, this is all we have left of Dads, and you need it, not me" Dean croaks out.

"No Dean, please take it, I need you to take it, if you don't I won't be able to live with myself" Sam holds the amulet out in his hands in front of Dean, urging him to take it.

Dean reluctantly takes the amulet, happy to have it but sad that Sammy has had to give up something that means so much to him. Dean pulls it on around his neck, letting it fall carefully into place.

Its then in that moment that the guard then comes into the room signalling that it's time for Sammy to leave but Dean isn't ready to leave Sammy, not yet. "I love you Sammy, please don't ever forget that."

"I love you too Dean" Sam says as he's being pushed out of the door by the guard, in a flash Sam is gone, Dean is never going to see his brother again.

Dean sits back down on the sofa, tears rolling down his face. He tries his best to compose himself with the small portion of an hour he has left. The door to the room re-enters, Dean expects the guards have come to guide him to the train to take him to the Capitol. It's not though, he wipes his eyes on his suit sleeve but they're still puffy and red. The person that walks through the door is one of the least people he would have expected to see. Ellen Harvelle.

Ellen was the owner of the pub in the town square, the rundown old pub that no one could afford to eat in She was in her mid 30's with two children similar ages to Sam and Dean, and belonged to a wealth of family in District 11. Ellen was a nice person though, on special occasions she would allow everyone to come into the pub and eat for no charge. Tonight would probably be one of those occasions, reaping s were always a sad day in district 11, knowing that 2 children had been taken from warm and loving families. She could be considered a saint around here; no one ever did anything nice for people around here unless you were family. Dean had no idea why she was here though; he hadn't said more than probably 40 words to here in his whole life.

"Dean" Ellen nods as she says his name and sits down on the couch next to him. In her hand she has a paper bag and hands it over to Dean. He looks inside and finds a bottle of rum and some chocolate chip cookies. If heaven was inside a paper bag this would be it.

"Thanks Ellen, this really means a lot to me" Dean honestly says. He hasn't had rum in a long time and it's the only real thing that calms his nerves down.

"Well don't drink it all at once boy, I haven't got much more where that's coming from and I wasn't the one who gave you it if you get caught. You hear me, frankly I don't care if you're only 17, because by god you need it today, but I'll be you those pricks in the Capitol will sure give a hell of a rats ass."

Dean nods, he doesn't dare mess with Ellen.

"Right, you listen here, I've seen you go into the woods when you think no one's looking, and I've followed you once or twice, to be honest curiosity killed this cat a long while back." Dean sits with a gapping mouth, he always checked thoroughly every single time he went off into the forest, if you got caught there were terrifying penalties that Dean didn't like to think about.

"How – " Ellen interrupts him before he can finish the sentence.

"Don't worry about that now, all that's important now is the skills it's given you. You can win this Dean; you've got a hell of a lot of an experience, it's just like killing those animals, you've done it thousands of times. You need to grab a knife, but most importantly a bow. You've got one hell of an aim on you boy"

"But I don't even know if they'll be any bows or wood and they're not like animals, they'll be armed" replies Dean.

"Don't admit defeat before you're even there boy, there's always something you can use, you've just got to use that noggin of yours and stop whinging!" Ellen counters his argument in a heartbeat.

The door creeks open and the guard re-enters the room, Ellen stands up, nods her head at Dean as she did when she sat down and follows the guards to the door. Before leaving she turns to Dean and says a simple 'Good Luck' before the door shuts on her.

Dean exits the room the same time Madison does. He can see her nervousness so he slips his hand into hers and squeezes it as they walk out of the building into a black car that has now arrived since they entered the building. It's an odd experience for them both; neither of them had been in a car before, Dean only probably saw one about once every 3 months. They were rare in a poor district.

It's a short ride to the train station and once Dean leaves the car he's swarmed by reporters, he's glad all signs of crying have disappeared from his face; all cameras are pointed at his face. They're moved quickly through the crowd and quickly placed onto the train.

As soon as the door to the train is shut it gets moving, the speed of it almost knocks the breath out of Dean, he's obviously never been on a train either, movement between districts was forbidden and only allowed for sanctioned duties, like the transport of goods. The train is almost fancier than the justice building. Dean and Madison are each given their own chambers with a bedroom and private bathroom. Dean wanders around the room, the draws are full of clothes just his size, its weird how quickly all of this has been sorted out to him.

A guard pops his head round the door and tells Dean "One hour for dinner" in a gruff, low voice and quickly leaves. Dean decides to have a shower, pulling off his sticky suit jacket, shirt and trousers and stepping into the shower. It runs both hot and cold, Dean hates that the luxuries just keep on coming, they don't have showers at home, and if they want hot water it has to be boiled. The shower is like bathing in summer rain, it's glorious and Dean never wants to get out, but he does eventually, picking up the first pair of trousers and shirt he finds. He exits the bedroom and finds his way to the dining room to find Madison already sitting at the table, along with Belle Talbot, a snooty woman who was to be the district 11 tributes escort for the games.

"Ahh, Good of you to show your face Dean" Belle announces with a hint of sarcasm laced in her voice. Dean ignores her and sits down opposite Madison.

"Well children now you're both here we can get down to business" Belle says "Balthazar you can come in now!" She shouts the last part. The sound of bouncy footsteps can be heard before the door opens and a blonde haired, blue eyed scrawny man bursts through it, a smile etched onto his face.

"Well then what do we have here, two tough tributes I see, we've got a fighting chance this year Belle!" Balthazar is only eyeing up Dean the whole, he hasn't even glimpsed at Madison. Dean hopes she hasn't noticed.

"Mmm" Belle nods, not really caring what he was saying. "Well anyway, Balthazar is going to be your trainer pre-games, find your strengths, your weaknesses, find what we can work with, now eat up!"

Dean isn't sure whether to grimace or burst with happiness, on one side it's just more luxuries that he never received at home but on the other, it's a luxury he's never received at home, which makes it all the more interesting.

The table is covered by dish after dish, not one inch of the table is in sight. There's chicken and lamb, sausages, mash potato, burgers, chips, carrots and so much that Dean doesn't even know the name of. Dean grabs as much as he can and stuffs it onto his plate. Bella looks at him in disgust.

"Where are your manners, you pig, that's absolutely disgusting, at least use a knife and fork." She spits out. Dean ignores her, he can already tell there was no way he would ever like her, and he really didn't care what she thought, he carried on eating away with his fingers.

Once the meal is over Dean almost regrets eating as much as he did, feeling the food sit heavy in his stomach. He's led into another compartment of the train as Balthazar explains to him that they're going to watch the reaping's from the other districts, Check out the competition.

One by one we watch the reaping's, Dean make a few mental notes in his head for the mean time on ones to watch out for. A cocky boy from district 3 called Crowley catches his attention, and a girl with vindictive eyes called Ruby from district 7. They finally reach district 11, Dean watches as Sams name is called out and can hear the evident desperation in his own voice as he volunteers. He wonders if it will make him appear weak to the other tributes.

The screen then changes to District 12, the last one. Dean's eyes go wide, as he sits and stares at the screen as a familiar face he thought he'd never see again gets called up.

"Cas..." Dean whispers.


	3. Who's Celine Dion?

**Here's chapter 3 :) I would have got it to you earlier but our school system decided to delete what I'd written in my 2 free periods this morning, how wonderful!**

**Hope you enjoy:)**

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><p>Dean gets up, moving closer and closer to the TV until his face is an inch away from it, placing his finger tips over the familiar face.<p>

"What in blazing hell are you doing boy?" Balthazar says.

Dean suddenly becomes aware of his surroundings. "N-nothing" he stutters out, coiling his hand back from the TV.

Dean sits back down in his chair. All eyes in the room are on him, but he ignores them and focuses on the TV,however he doesn't pay attention to the female reaping, his eyes are permanently fixed on the male tribute standing at the back of the stage nervously.

District 12 was a very religious district. All of their buildings were covered in holy signs: Crosses, enochian and biblical symbols, it was impossible to escape religion if you were a member of the district, god was everywhere you looked. If you were chosen as tribute it was simply 'gods will' and it was happening for a higher purpose. Personally Dean just though the capitol were bastards any enjoyed watching innocent children suffer. He couldn't see a righteous god in all of the carnage that was caused by these games. These kinds of thoughts however would be punished there and the day of reaping was celebrated, even by the families who had lost a child. They're were forced to believe their child had been chosen by god for better thing, but deep down Dean feels that they most of them know it's all lies, they're just clutching at straws as Dean does to find his own father.

Castiel Novak and Dean were once best friends, and arguably the only real friend other than Sam that Dean had ever had. They grew up together in the district until his entire family was moved to district 12. His whole family was ridiculously religious and Castiel's father was the only real man worthy of taking over District 12 and pulling it back onto its feet again after their preacher died mysteriously and the district went into full blown panic. They are the only family to have been permitted to ever move district under special circumstances. Castiel was like a lifeline to Dean after his mother died and once he had gone Dean felt lost.

Dean grimaces, not only will he have to potentially kill Madison, a sweet little girl that he had known for most of his life and that has done nothing wrong, but now there was the possibility that he would be the one to cause his best friend, Castiel's death. Dean ponders whether he could actually kill him, doubt arising in his mind. He wonders if Cas has watched the reaping and found out he was going up against Dean. He wonders if Cas has similar thoughts to his own running through his head right now.

Balthazar clicks the TV off and dismisses the two of them. Dean wanders back to his cabin absent minded, he couldn't take much more today. Everything that made Dean him and gave him a purpose had been taken away from him all in the space of a day and now he had to kill his best friend as well, yes, the odds were certainly not in Dean's favour today.

He enters the room and lies on the bed, staring at the soft patterns on the ceiling. He doesn't know how long he's been laying there until he hears a soft knock on his door; he pulls his head up and shouts for them to come in. Madison pokes her head through and comes and sits down on the bed by Dean's side.

"Hey" Dean whispers softly.

"I'm sorry about Castiel Dean" she replies. He's surprised she remembers him; he wasn't what you would call exactly well known around the district, he had many brothers and sisters and most people in the district almost merged them together. Dean then thinks of the courage she had to have to come in here and say this to him, he embraces her in a one armed hug while simultaneously reaching his other arm under the bed grabbing the paper bag Ellen gave him out from underneath. He holds the bag up to his nose, it smells of home and it's warm and comforting. He reaches into the bag and grabs a couple of cookies, handing Madison one. She quickly accepts it. The two of them sit on the bed eating the cookies without anymore words being said between the two of them. Dean can't get too attached to her when there's the possibility he's going to have to kill her. Once Madison has left Dean opens the rum, and takes a few swigs out of the bottle. It leaves him with a warm feeling in his stomach as he falls into a deep sleep.

The next day Dean is startled awake, Balthazar is shouting at him "Up, Up, Up! C'mon, wakey wakey sleepy pants!"

Dean groans and looks at the time on the alarm clock on the bedside. "What the hell dude, its 6AM. No way am I getting up now." Dean moans.

"Oh yes you are, c'mon stop being a whiny little bitch. Anyone would think you're the girl, just get up before I have to make you" Balthazar responds.

Dean doesn't respond, he pulls the cover back over his head and hears the movement of feet away from his room, he falls quickly back to sleep, happy in his small victory... however its short lived. Minutes later Dean is dripping wet, Balthazar had chucked a bucket of freezing cold water onto his bed, drenching him.

"Son of a bitch!" Dean shouts as he jumps up in a blur of bed sheets and water.

"Ahh good, you're out of bed" he happily replies to Dean. "Oh and do get cleaned up quick, you look like a victim of the sinking of the Titanic and I realllllllly hate that film. Celine Dion is so overrated."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have thrown a fucking bucket of water on me then, you asshole! ... wait who's Celine Dion?" Dean asks.

"Well I see coming from a district at least has some perks then." Balthazar replies blatantly ignoring Dean's question and prances out of the door before Dean can have a go at him.

Dean quickly hops into the shower, grateful for the hot water. Then exits and pulls on the same clothes he was wearing the day before, along with his father's necklace and found his way to the eating cabin of the train.

Bela welcomes him in and hands him a cup of coffee.

"Were only two hours away from the Capitol now and once you get there you'll be handed over to your stylists—"

"Stylists?" Dean asks.

Bela narrows her eyes at him. "Yes, stylists, you know people who will dictate your look and dress you up just the right way for you to get those all important sponsors. It's not a difficult concept to grasp" Bela states, her voice laced with venom.

Dean purses his lips at her, he had forgotten all about the stylists. "No way are you dressing me up like some, like some painted whore" Dean states.

"Well what a shame you have no say in the matter son" she replies.

"Don't call me son" Dean replies sternly "you're nothing like my mother"

"Thank god for that" she mutters under her breath, but Dean still hears her. He's up in a flash of a moment, he quickly slams in Bela's body holding her tight against the train wall, fist raised in the air, ready to strike.

"You talk bad about my mother again and I'll fucking break your neck you stupid little bitch" he sternly says.

Her breathing has become heavy but Bela isn't acting as Dean expects, she starts applauding him, clapping her hands together.

"What are you doing?" Dean asks, keeping his position.

It's at this moment that Balthazar walks through the door, he stops and stares at the two of them, one eyebrow raised with a questioning look on his face.

"You've finally got a fighter this year Balthy." She grins widely.

"Is that so? Well that's all well and good but if you touch her again like that I'm not going to do anything for you, no training, no accepting sponsors, nothing, save it for the tributes, not her. Stand down." Dean stares at him for a moment pondering whether he can really refuse to help him, he decides not to risk it, relaxing his hand down and stepping back away from Bela.

"Glad to see you're going to cooperate. Now eat breakfast and meet me in the next cabin along when you're done." He says as he grabs a cup of coffee and leaves the room again as if everything was fine. Dean doesn't give Bela one glance the entire time he's eating.

Dean sits down to a plate of eggs, ham, fries and peas. It's divine and he tries to eat as much as possible, even though he feels like he's about to be sick once he's finished. He knows that once he's in the arena he'll be almost starving. He takes a hot chocolate with him and goes to find Balthazar.

Balthazar gets straight to the point "So what can you do other than threaten women?"

Dean ignores the comment and begins to tell him about how he would hunt in the forests for his and Sam's dinner, how precise he can be with a bow and arrow, he almost always manages to hit the eye of the animals, careful not to ruin any of the meat if he's going to trade it. He admits he's not bad with a knife either, always using a knife if he's not sure the animals dead or not.

"Okay, show me" Balthazar chirps in, handing Dean a knife. He grips the handle in his hand at throw it dead straight at the wall, surprisingly to Dean it lodges in-between 2 panels, making him appear much better than he really is.

Balthazar gives an approving nod. 'Alright Dean, I think that's it for now, we'll be at the capitol shortly and I'll talk to both you and Madison more there about the actual arena and about your training. If you see Madison can you send her in here please?' Dean nods and leaves the room. It's not difficult to find Madison; she's at the table eating breakfast.

"Balthazar wants to see you when you've finished Madison" Dean tells her and leaves to his room.

He's not even in there for 15 minutes before he spots the lights of what only can be the Capitol in the distance through the train window. As the train becomes closer and closer the buildings become less and less blurry, standing magnificently tall over everything else Dean has even seen. As they enter the city Dean starts noticing people eagerly staring at the train, excited to see a tribute train. They barely look human, it makes Dean shudder, none of these people had probably starved once in their entire lives. They're excited to welcome Dean and Madison to their deaths. He steps back into the shadows of the train, away from the window, he doesn't want to play into there hands.

A few minutes later the train comes to a halt and a guard enters Dean's room, beckoning him to follow him, having already collected Madison. As soon as the train doors open the two of them are bombarded by applauding people and the flashing of cameras. They are swiftly moved by the guards through the station straight into a black tinted car. They travel in the car for about 10 minutes before it stops and the two of them are rushed inside a building called the remake centre. This was the part Dean was dreading, they were about to be handed over to their stylists.

Dean is whisked off by three plump ladies who tell him they are his prep team. Each of the 3 women have oddly coloured hair and weirdly matching clothes. They spend far too long eyeing Dean up and down and it makes him terribly nervous. Before Dean knows it his body is completely rid of hair except on his eyebrows, eyelashes and the hair on his head. It feels wrong to Dean and makes him feel vulnerable, every inch of his body is sore.

They work on him for a little over 3 hours before they finally deem him acceptable to meet his stylist. The 3 women rush out of the room, one of them shouts "Your stylist will be with you in a minute!" before the door clicks shut and Dean is left alone.

Not even moments later a tall young man steps through the door. He is completely opposite to the 3 women in the room previously. He has no bright colours in his hair and no extravagant clothing; he's wearing a black top and jeans, simple, just how Dean likes it. Dean doesn't recognize him from the past games.

"Hello Dean, I'm Chuck, your stylist" he says

"Hey" he replies.

"Just give me a moment' he says, circling around Dean's body nodding every now and again.

You're new, aren't you?" Dean asks.

"Mhmm, this is my first year in the games" he replies.

"Well sorry you got handed district 11, I'm not what you'd call into style" Dean days, he somehow feels like he can talk properly to Chuck, he's the first person that he's met since getting on the train back home that seems relatively normal and sane.

"I asked for district 11" Chuck replies without any explanation. "Now take a seat and we'll talk about your costume for the opening ceremony then and before you ask, no don't worry you will not be naked no matter how many women in the capitol would just love for that to be the case with an ass like that" lightly smacking Deans ass before he sits down.

He is alarmed by the gesture but at the same time gives a sigh of relief. It was not uncommon in the opening ceremonies for at least one tribute to be completely naked. Some stylists believed as little clothing as possible was always the way to go, Dean funnily enough did not agree with this opinion, it was completely ridiculous.

"Obviously we have to stick with your district theme, which if I'm not mistaken is...agriculture?" Dean nods.

Each district has their own individual industry. District 3 was factories; District 4 was fishing and so on and so on. Most years' district 11 tributes would dress as trees, it certainly wasn't the most appealing of outfits but it was better than district 4. One year the stylists made them smell of fish, it was certainly entertaining to watch large amounts of the audience from the capitol fainting from the smell.

"So you're going to dress me up like a tree as usual?" Dean asks.

"Oh god no, I do actually have some taste boy, that's very overdone, and won't make you stand out from the other tributes. We're going to be focusing more on the animals this year than the plants."

Ten minutes and one outfit change later Dean has changed his mind about Chuck. He deeply despises him. He's dressed in a one piece cow outfit, spots and all.

"C'mon dude, I'd look better if I was just dressed in toilet paper!" he exclaims.

"oh no, I'd never do that, I hoard that stuff like it's made of gold, seriously, you never know when you're going to need it." Chuck answers seriously. Dean is now seriously questioning his mental state.

Dean is kind of relieved when he meets up with Madison and discovers she's been dressed in the exact same costume, at least he won't have to look like a total idiot on his own. The two of them are whisked down to the bottom level of the remake centre and enter a massive arena. He recognises some of the other tributes being loaded into chariots and searches around desperately to Castiel's face. It doesn't appear though; Dean thinks he must not have arrived yet.

They both enter a pure black chariot, standing ready as the ceremony music begins to play, blasting throughout the city. They circle around the streets of the capitol. Madison is doing her job perfectly, waving at everyone who is applauding her, Dean doesn't have the strength to, and all he really wants to do is tell them all to fuck off. He settles for pretty much standing still, it's the most awkward he's ever felt in his life. The ride take about 20 minutes, ending at the training centre which was to be there prison for the next few days before the games began, riding into the centre, doors banging shut as they do.

Dean looks forward to the door that leads to the tributes room, and he spots the back of what he is 99% sure is Cas. He shouts his name.

"Cas! Cas!" he screams. The boy doesn't turn around but carries on walking. Dean's brows tighten in confusion, there's no way he wouldn't have heard in here.

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><p><strong>Please Review! :)<strong>


	4. Giving Up Before You've Started

**Here's chapter 4, a bit late, I've been ill all week. Fun fun fun :( **

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><p>Dean runs forward eager to catch up with him ignoring the shouts from behind him for him to wait, but as he turns the corner all he finds is a lift in which the boy had already got into and was now heading up the training tower. Dean sighs, typical.<p>

Each district in the training tower has its own floor; just click your number district in the lift, Simple. Unfortunately for Dean however you needed pass cards to actually make the lift door open at your floor. This prevented tributes from other districts entering other tributes floors, after one year a couple of years ago when one tribute killed both from district 2 while they slept with a knife, she was a psychopath eager to get rid of her competition and was killed on spot by guards, all 3 tributes were replaced within the space of a day.

He waits by the lift for Madison and when she comes he find that Bela and Sebastian have joined her side along with Chuck. Bela eyes him up on down and chuckles softly to herself. Dean gives her a salute with his middle finger and walks into the lift as its pings open.

'This boy really needs to learn some manners' Bela tuts. She reluctantly hands Dean his floor pass and he zooms off in search of his room, urgent for some time alone to himself.

The first thing he does as he enters the room is chuck off his ridiculous cow outfit and finds something more 'Dean' to wear from the massive peaking wardrobes that take up an entire wall of the large room. He picks out some black boxers and a grey top and quickly slips them on. There's a programming system on the wall and Dean looks at it mysteriously. He soon figures out its just like one giant menu. He says into the mouth piece 'cheeseburger' and within a minute one appears in the pallet underneath. This is way over Dean's head. The technology they have in the Capitol is ridiculous.

He pops the cheeseburger into his mouth and devours it within a few bites, and quickly orders another one. After his fourth he falls into the massive double bed in the centre of the bedroom and falls into a deep slumber, ready for his first training session in the morning.

Slowly Dean drags himself out of bed and into the shower, the shower has over 100 buttons and Dean hates the extravagance of this place, espically when Sam is at home is the same rotten conditions he's been in all his life. When he re-enters his main room he finds an outfit lying on the bed with a note saying 'put this on' stuck to it. It's a pair of skinny jeans and a dark grey vest, not very 'Dean' at all.

Dean's mind wonders to Sam as he walks to the dining room. He wonders how Sam is coping back home all by himself. He must be up by now getting ready for school, or in the woods hunting, Dean hopes he's being careful. Sebastian and Madison bid him good morning as he takes a seat at the table, grabbing a cup of coffee.

Dean is nervous about training, for 2 days before the games all tributes must train together. Dean knows it's his opportunity to find Cas.

He downs his coffee in one and makes his way to the training centre, Madison following closely behind him. They both enter the elevator and are in the centre in less than a minute. The doors open into a massive gaping arena and they are what appears to be some of the last tributes to have arrived. They're all sitting around in the middle of the room in a large circle, its cold and isolated, all tributes are at least 2m away from each other.

Dean spots Castiel almost immediately, he looks so different and yet just how Dean remembers him at the same time. His hair is shaggier, falling past his eyes in a mop of dark brown but it doesn't cover his eyes which are a brighter blue than before if possible, they almost shine out in the room. Dean quickly walks around the circle to his side ignoring the 'what the fuck' faces of many of the tributes staring at him.

'Mind if I sit here? Didn't think so' Dean asks a female tribute sitting next to Cas' , he doesn't wait for an answer, which is good because she doesn't give him one, she just stares at him as if he was muck on the bottom of her shoe, quickly sitting down between the two of them.

'Cas' Dean whispers, he doesn't want everyone knowing his business. He doesn't turn to face Dean, staring away in the opposite direction. 'Cas' Dean repeats himself as if he's hoping he just didn't hear the first time.

'Please don't Dean' he barely hears Cas respond, his voice had gotten so much lower since the last time Dean had heard it. ' I can't do this, not now, not like this' He doesn't 't look at Dean the whole time he speaks, keeping his eyes placed on the ground.

'Don't be stupid Cas, what are you talking about? You're my best friend, I'd die for you man' Dean responds. He waits to Castiel's response but he doesn't receive one, he thinks he sees a small tear escape from Cas' eye but it's gone so quick that Dean can't be sure that it was there to begin with.

He's about to talk again when the head trainer walks into the arena, heading for the centre of the circle, she's a tall athletic woman and explains the training schedule to them all, but Dean can hardly focus on her when Cas is so close and evidently hurting. He would do this when he and Dean were younger, whenever he was upset he would close in on himself and try and repel Dean away from him. It never worked, Dean would always work through it with him until he realised he was being ridiculous.

The woman explains that there are several training stations set up around the arena each with their own individual expert trainers in the field of the station, and each tribute is free to visit stations of their choosing, some teaching survival, others combat and fighting between other tributes is strictly forbidden in the training centre.

Dean looks around at the stations. There was Knot tying, fire starting, shelter building, camouflage, plant identifying, knife technique, arrow technique. There were stations for pretty much everything you'd need to know. Most of it was common sense to Dean and he decided to ignore the arrow station, not wanting to show the other tributes how well he can use a bow. The others are sure to have skills they won't be showing in here either.

He stays seated for a minute, waiting to see which station Cas is going to go to before getting up and following him. To his surprise he goes to fire starting, Cas was much better than Dean at lighting fires back home, it was a waste of his time going to this station now.

He grabs two pieces of wood and gets to work, every now and again the trainer adds in little comments until he gets the fire going. He turns to look at Castiel.

'C'mon Cas, stop being so childish, I would of thought you'd of grown out of this by now. I could really use my best friend at a time like this' He stares at Dean for what seems like a lifetime and then simply nods his head and says nothing.

Feeling like that was the most Dean would get out of him at the moment he leaves the station and heads over to knot tying; it was always something he had trouble with and could never quite get the hang of it. There is no one else there when Dean joins and he can feel the happiness radiating from the trainer that someone was actually joining him. He asks Dean what he knows and when he tells him he's interested in snares the trainer shows him a simple trap that will leave its victim hanging upside down from a tree.

'Excellent!' he praises Dean after the 5th time of him doing it correctly. Dean gives him a small smile and asks if he knows any other traps, the trainer nods with enthusiasm and shows Dean a few more. He spends nearly an hour tying various different knots and by the end feels much better about his abilities.

He suddenly notices a shadow behind him and looks up. Castiel is standing behind him; he bends down, slips something into Deans back pockets and is quickly gone again in a flash of an instance. As if he was never there. Dean looks around the room, no one had noticed, they're all consumed by their stations.

Dean is urgent to leave the training room but he doesn't get to leave for another hour and a half, he doesn't really focus on the other stations he visits, all he can focus on is what's in his back pocket. As soon as the tributes are dismissed he rushes for the elevator and all but runs to his room, clicking the door shut and diving his hand into his pocket.

He pulls the item out into his hand, a key card for floor 12 falls out onto the floor from a folded piece of paper. Dean grin's picking it up and putting it back in his pocket as he unfolds the piece of paper.

_Dean, _

_Meet me at 10pm, room 6, up the ladder. Be careful._

_Cas._

It's a simple message but it makes Dean's face light up. The fact that Cas actually wants to talk to him makes him feel like a child on Christmas morning. Not only this but Dean knows how Cas' mind works, this is all like some test for Dean. Cas knows that Dean is risking his life going onto another districts floor; if the guards found him they'd kill him in an instance, not wanting a repeat of the incident from a few years back. He's making sure Dean would still die for him as he would have when they were children. Dean will not disappoint him, he can't help it.

With hours before he goes to meet Cas he orders dinner for himself, ordering fries, a chicken wrap and a slice of cherry pie. It's a rainbow burst of flavour in his mouth.

'Mmm' the pie is so good Dean moans in appreciation and then orders another 2 slices.

After what feels like forever the clock by his bedside finally reads 9:55pm and he stands up, ready to go meet Cas. He opens the door slowly to check no one is in the hallway, then slips out and shuts it as gently as possible careful not to alert anyone into the halls. He moves swiftly through them and enters the elevator, pressing down the 12 button and pushing the district 12 key card into the slot.

It's only a ten second ride from floor 11 to 12, Dean pins himself to the wall of the elevator just in case anyone is hanging around in the hall. There isn't, he quickly finds room 6 at the end of the hallway and slides himself into the room. The smell hits him immediately, it smells of Castiel. The room is exactly identical to his own down to every little last detail, the only difference being a metal ladder in the corner on the room.

Dean climbs up the ladder carefully, unsure of its steadiness, making quick work of it, pulling himself up onto the side as he reaches the top, feeling the cool windy air hit his skin almost immeadetly.

The sight almost takes his breath away, the buildings and lights of the capitol are shining brightly at him with so much commotion it's hard to believe one city can be this busy. Back home the electricity was only turned on a few hours a day but Dean and Sam couldn't even afford it; they sat my candle light most nights.

Castiel is standing on the edge of the railing of the roof looking out onto the city.

'Well at least moving to district 12 has some perks' Dean tries to break the ice, hinting to the view.

Castiel turns around at the sound of his voice. 'Dean...you came' he seems surprised.

'Of course I did stupid, what do you take me for? I never give up on my friends, no matter how doomed they or I am, you're like family to me Cas, and family means a hell of a lot to me.' Dean replies, taking a stance next time him on the railing. 'It's all I've got.'

Cas nods 'I just thought... you'd of changed. We haven't seen each other for almost 10 years.'

'Well you obviously haven't, still as sulky as ever I see' Dean nudges him softly.

'Yeah well I've certainly got a lot to be sulky about...We're in a real mess here Dean.' Cas sighs out.

'You don't have to tell me man' Dean replies looking down onto the streets. 'Things would be so much simpler if we just jumped right now'

'You can't' Cas says, picking up a stone from the floor and throwing it outwards, it travels about a meter before rebounding backwards back onto the roof. 'There's a force field around the whole place, you try and jump it'll just throw you back, trust me I've tried' he mutters. Dean doesn't like how he sounds, like he's already given up before the games have begun.

'Please don't give up Cas' Dean whispers 'you've got a real shot at winning this thing!'

He chuckles lightly 'You've got to be kidding me Dean, I haven't got a chance in hell, especially with you around, you're a fighter Dean, I'm just a kid who's faith has got him nowhere in life. How can god place me here to kill all these innocent people, it's a sin!'

'What do you mean with me around' Dean asks hesitantly, ignoring what Castiel mentions about his religion, it had always been a touchy subject between the two of them.

'I run into you in that arena and I'm dead Dean, I can't fight back, not you, I can't kill me best friend.' He notices tears sliding down Castiel's face.

'Well get rid of me now then Cas, all you have to do I shout one word and you'll have guards up here in seconds, shooting me down.' Dean reasons with him, it's a bold move but Dean's almost certain he won't.

Castiel shakes his head. 'No Dean. I said I can't kill you and that means in any sort of way, I'm screwed in these games'

'Good to know we're in the same boat then Cas'' Dean embraces him, letting him cry into his shirt. 'Even if we are the last two people left I'm not going to hurt you, just remember that.' He knows Cas won't believe him, but he vows to prove it to him by any means necessary.

Dean stays with Castiel on the roof for another hour, neither of them talk, they just sit enjoying each other's present while they can like this, before Dean carefully sneaks back to his own room. He falls asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow. He dreams of Castiel.

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><p><strong>:) <strong>


	5. There's Always Room For Pie

**Next chapter we'll be in the games :) Enjoy!**

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><p>The next day follows the same routine as the last in the morning. All tributes train together in the training arena for several hours. Tonight everyone is to have their separate training sessions with their mentors ahead of entering the games the next day to train with any hidden talents they may not have wanted the other tributes to see.<p>

Dean is eating his dinner of Apple pie when Balthazar knocks on his door around 4pm. He shovels the last of it into his mouth at an alarming speed and opens the door.

'C'mon boy, lots of work to be done for tomorrow!' Balthazar cheerfully says walking away, indicating for Dean to follow him.

He follows him into a square room with lots of targets pinned to the wall and various types of bows and arrows attached to the wall. He gets started straight away picking up the first bow he finds and striking the first target dead in the centre. He's at it for 5 minutes before Balthazar speaks.

'Good to see I've actually got something to work with this year' Balthazar nods approvingly.

'Try this bow' He says handing it over to Dean. Its worst than the bows he has back at home.

'What's with the shitty bow?' Dean asks.

'You can shoot with that, you can shoot with pretty much anything. If you don't manage to get a bow in the start you're going to have to make one.' He replies. Dean nods in understanding. It takes him a while to get use to using it but within 15 minutes he's using it as good as he was using the others.

'You've got to be up bright and early tomorrow and I know how difficult that can be for you' Balthazar says in a mocking tone. 'The games start dead on 10 o'clock but you need to be ready for 8 so they can take you to the location. Bela and I shall be heading over to the game centre to grab you and that little girl some sponsors, and working on a strategy to get the items to you while you're in the arena. Chuck will be with you up until the point you're literally dropped into the arena. Good Luck' Balthazar

'Any suggestions?' Dean asks worryingly.

'Avoid the blood bath at the cornucopia, as soon as that gong sounds get the hell out of there and build up as much distance from the other tributes as possible. You don't stand a chance against the tributes from 1 and 2. Just grab what you can and go.'

Dean nods in understanding 'Anything else?'

'Stay alive' he tells him blankly, he then runs out of the room shouting something about dirty trench coats as he does that Dean doesn't quite understand.

After his training session Dean tries to go see Castiel again, unfortunately as he walks to the elevator Bela steps out of it.

'Where are you going Dean? It's late. Tributes are to stay on their floors after 8pm' she states.

'Urmm, I just wanted some fresh air' Dean replies not very convincingly, Bela sees right through him.

'Pass card' she says, holding out her hand towards Dean. 'Whatever you're doing it stops right now.'

Dean sighs in defeat and hands the card over to Bela, without it if he leaves he won't be able to get back onto floor 11, he'd be signing his own death warrant leaving.

'Now get back to your room' she states wandering off into her own. Dean sulking retreats back, the next time him and Cas both saw each other they'd be fighting for their life's.

With a bit of effort on his part Dean wakes up early the next morning, it's not really that difficult when you couldn't get any sleep all night. He quickly gets dressed in the first items of clothing he finds and picks up his father's amulet placing it over his head and around his neck.

He is escorted out of the building with Madison and they are both placed onto a helicopter with the words 'District 11' painted in red across the side. It sets off the moment the door is closed and a team of people swarm around the two of them.

Dean is placed into a green doctor's chair and a woman in a white lab coat approaches him. 'This is your tracker Dean; you need to stay as still as possible so that I can place it in correctly.' She states. He sits as still as a statue but it still doesn't stop him jumping up as the needle breaks his skin.

'Baby' the woman mutters and she withdraws the needle.

'I am not a baby' he replies, offended by the accusation.

'Of course you aren't' she replies sarcastically as she leaves.

The tracker means that the game makers will be able to trace him at all times in the arena. As soon as she is gone Chuck walks into the room, greeting Dean as he does so. The ride only lasts about an hour or so before the windows black out, hiding the whereabouts of the arena. As the helicopter lands Dean is escorted along with Chuck to the Launch room, the place before he is sent to his slaughter. No tribute except for Dean will have been inside this room.

No two arenas are in the same place, they are historic sites and popular destinations for Capitol residents to visit. They go for a couple a couple of weeks, re-watch the games, visit the places the deaths took place and participate in re-enactments. It's absolutely disgusting, the capitol make millions from them each year.

Food is laid out in the centre of the room and Dean shovels as much as he possibly can into his mouth, he knows this is the last good meal he's ever going to have. His outfit arrives halfway through eating.

'No pie?' Dean queries as a guard comes in to check on him.

The guard shakes his head. 'There's cake though, it's basically the same thing' he replies.

'Whoa, dude it is nothing the same thing' Dean states to him. The guard shrugs and leaves the room.

Chuck comes in a few moments later. 'Unfortunately I had no say in this outfit Dean, they're the same for all tributes' Chuck says.

Dean sighs in relief 'Oh, Damn, sorry about that Chuck' Dean says, covering up.

He puts the outfit on. It includes some simple tawny trousers, a light green blouse in which he sticks his father's amulet underneath, a sturdy brown belt and a thin hooded black jacket that falls to his thighs.

Chuck smiles. 'The material of the jacket reflects body heat so expect some cool nights ahead of you' he says.

The boots are heaven sent, soft leather with a narrow flexible rubber sole which means they're good for running in.

'I guess there's nothing to do then but to await the call unless you could possibly fill yourself up anymore' Chuck chuckles slightly.

'If there was pie man I would, I've always got room for pie.' Dean grins at him, shadowing his fear of what is about to come in mere moments.

Dean sits down on a couch in the room, focusing on not letting his legs shake. With each passing second he's sitting his nervousness increases. He could be dead within an hour.

'Are you okay Dean?' Chuck asks.

Dean chuckles lightly. 'Of course I'm not, I'm about to be sent off to my death.'

'Ah, good point' he replies, no more is said between them until a woman enters the room and tells Dean its time, placing him on a large metal plate.

'I'm truly routing for you Dean, you're a fighter' he says as glass cylinder is lowering around him, separating them.

The cylinder rises in the air for about 15 seconds in complete darkness before disappearing in a rush of open air, the bright light of the natural sun hurts Dean eyes as he squints to take in his surroundings, noticing large area of forest.

Suddenly he hears the booming voice of the famous announcer Zachariah fill out the entire arena.

'Ladies and gentlemen let the 74th hunger games begin!'


	6. Pretty Boy Angel's

**Here's your first look into the arena. **

**I'm going to aim to get a chapter out at least once a week, at the VERY least. Exam season is coming up for me and you can never do enough revision for a level exams so its kind of taking priority over writing at the moment, but it won't forever, I promise. :)**

**I really want to know what you guys think of this story so far. It can really act as a kick in the backside and make me write. (and ignore my revision xD)**

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><p>The first thing Dean feels is a breeze of soft cold air whishing over his hair as a gong sounds, ringing out through the entire arena. It indicates the start of the 60 seconds in which tributes must remain on their metal plates and are given the time to take in their surroundings. If you move off them before the 60 seconds are up you'll be dead as soon as your feet hit the ground, scattering various parts of your body all over the arena floor.<p>

To Deans left is a vast area of forest going back well past what his eyes can see and to the right a sloping grass land with a small pond located in the middle of it. He makes a note to himself to avoid the grass land. He then spots the cornucopia, standing high and bright in the centre of the clearing between the two sides of the arena, full of important items: Knifes, food, tents. Everything you would need to survive fairly comfortably in the arena, all an equal distance from every tribute. There are also various items spread around the clearing, decreasing in value the further away from the cornucopia they get. Three metres from him sits a loaf of bread and about 10 more sits a bright green backpack.

Dean notices a glimmering at the top of the cornucopia, and realises it's a bow already loaded with arrows just waiting for him to grab it. Dean stands, quickly debating his chances of reaching the bow, he's fast, probably faster than all the tributes, and he knows in his heart that he can get there first but he's stuck on whether he can get out in time. By the time he picks it up and a bag there will be maybe 1 or 2 other tributes at the entrance to it but at close range anymore than that and Dean's chances of coming out of it alive are slim.

He then notices Castiel, who is standing about 4 tributes to the left of him. He looks at Dean and shakes his head slowly. He understands the message. It's the same one Balthazar had told him yesterday. Don't go for the cornucopia; build some distance between himself and the other tributes.

The gong goes off; catching Dean by surprise and he's misses his chance, too busy focusing on Cas, clawing crucial seconds away from himself. This is enough to make up his decision. He lunges forward picking up the loaf of bread, angry at himself for becoming distracted so easily. He sprints forward, reaching the green bag at the same time a boy from district 9 does.

"Give it!" the boy snarls at Dean.

The two of them grapple for it for a couple of seconds before the boy spurts a mouthful of blood all over his face, dropping the bag and falling to the floor, a knife wedged in his back, thankfully thrown from quite a distance away.

"Ugghh, that's disgusting" he exclaims, wiping at his face.

Dean quickly dislodges the knife from the boys back, holding it out in front of him for protection and darts for cover in the forest. As he reaches the edge he turns back to the blood bath that is the beginning of the games.

"You're dead Winchester, you hear me!" the girl that threw the knife shouts at him as he's running, who he faintly recognizes as the girl Ruby from watching the reaping on the night on the train. She doesn't follow him though, instead running off and striking a fatal blow in the back of a girls head with a mace, splattering blood all over the ground.

The leading tributes have now reached the cornucopia and supplied themselves with weapons and were now spreading out, picking off the weaker tributes that hadn't gotten away so quickly. Dean is thankful that he hasn't seen Cas' face in the ground but he can't rule out that it's a possibility already.

He takes one final look at the scene behind him before swinging the bag high up on his back and walks deeper into the forest at a steady pace. His heart is beating fast, adrenaline rushing through his body.

It's not until a couple of hours later that Dean dares to stop and inspect the contents of the bag that he had obtained from the poor boy from district 9, killed off so early in the games. At least it was quick; the longer you're in the games the longer the other tributes seem to find fun in the torture before they kill you. The bag contains a sleeping bag, crackers, iodine, chicken in a container and a water bottle half filled with water.

Dean is relieved, he had not found any sources of water yet through the forest and was beginning to get a little worried that the only source in the arena was the lake in the open field next to the cornucopia, in which if that was the case it was likely the tributes from the first few districts would already be guarding by now.

It's beginning to get dark before the sound of the canon booming rings out through the forest, indicating the fighting has now ended at the cornucopia and the bodies of the unfortunate tributes have been taken away, ready to ship back to their districts to grieving families. Dean counts the shots, one for every dead body until ten have rung out. Ten dead, fourteen left to play. He wonders whether Cas escaped, he's almost sure of it, he knows he isn't dumb but the feeling in the pit of his stomach won't go away until he sees the faces of the dead tributes light up the night sky tonight.

Dean finds a large tree and comes to the decision to stop for the night, climbing it and placing himself on a stable branch with plenty of cover over it with wide branching leafs, taking out his sleeping bag from the bag he won and slipping into it.

Night is settling in when Dean hears the national anthem ring out to recap the deaths of the day. The seal of the capitol is shining out bright in the sky so all tributes can see it where ever they are in the arena. Dean brushes a few branches aside so he can see it clearly as the anthem fades out and the faces of the dead flash into the night sky, with simple head shots as to not give away any living contestants secret weapon instead of the death recap he would watch back home.

The first to show up is the girl from district 4, closely followed by the boy. Meaning all tributes from districts 1, 2 and 3 had survived. No surprises there, although for both from 4 to be dead already was a bit surprising, most career tributes made it through the first day. Then the girl from district 5, the boy from 6 who Dean recognizes as the boy who he took the bag from, both from 7 and 8 and the girl from 10. One more dead face is left to show. Not Cas, it's the boy from 10. Dean is relieved. The forest is sent back into darkness as the screen disappears.

Madison made it through the day, Dean is glad, it may mean the likely hood of him killing her in the arena has increased but it also means if he is killed then she's still a contender and would be the one he'd want to win after Castiel. Sam will benefit the most if she won, the winning district being supplied with enough food to feed everyone for the entire year until the next games.

Dean slowly drifts into an uncomfortable sleep, allowing his muscles to relax and eyelids drop.

_Snap! Snap!_

Dean is awoken perhaps a few hours later by the sound of twigs snapping. It's still rather dark but he can make out a vague shadowing figure about 5 metres from the tree he's in, breaking wood off a tree. They then stop and shuffle around a bit before Dean see's a bright spark light, and a small fire begin to bloom. He's is unable to make out the tribute, all he can see are their hands, held outright near the flames.

"Fuck!" Dean whispers. Whoever it was, was a complete idiot. In the total darkness any fire would be like a beacon, flashing at all the other tributes surveying the forests.

Dean makes his decision quickly, slowly getting out of his sleeping bag and packing up his things as quietly as possible, removing the knife from the bag, held ready to strike he climbs swiftly down the tree.

He jumps, landing next to the fire and kicking it out in an instance, the tribute sits surprised for a moment, a moment in which Dean has already got his knife tight underneath his throat, ready to cut as they speak.

"D-Dean" they choke out.

He halts. "Cas?" He asks.

The tribute nods their head eagerly. He makes sure that it's definitely Castiel, rubbing his hand over his features before he slaps him straight across the face in a harsh and swift movement.

"Oww, What did you do that for!" Castiel moans, holding his face.

"What they hell is wrong with you man! Starting a fire in the middle of the night, are you really that stupid Cas, or are you trying to get yourself killed?" Dean harshly whispers to him, careful of who may be around. Not to shout and give away their position.

"C'mon, get up. We've got to move, you may have attracted some unwanted attention." Dean pulls him up.

"Guess this means you're not going to kill me now eh?" he replies, accepting the hand.

"I told you Cas, That's not an option for me. Not now, not later. The sooner you learn that the better. By all means you can try and put a knife in my back but I won't to you, just like I didn't kill you then when I had the chance." He gestures to the charcoal wood pile, stands up and walks through the forest.

Cas gulps and quickly follows Dean as he moves swiftly through the forest, taking a lot of effort to catch him up.

"So why were you being such a dufus then?" Dean asks as they walk.

"I wasn't thinking" he replies looking down at his feet, his features appearing in glints of the moon light as they walk. 'It was just so cold. I was only going to have it light for a couple of minutes.'

"Stupid move and you know it, what if it wasn't me up in that tree? or there had been some other tributes close by. You'd be dead by now." Dean shakes his head.

"What the hell are you wearing anyway; you look like a drowned rat?" he asks with a smirk.

"It's a trench coat" Cas states simply. "I didn't manage to get a lot at the cornucopia, all I managed to grab was this' he gestures to the coat. 'and a bag that had some crackers, some matches and a pair of useless fake wings in it"

"Dude, did you say wings?"

"Mhmm" Castiel nods. Reaching into his bag and pulling them out. They're big and branching and it's hard to believe that they even fitted into the bag Cas had just taken them out of.

"Oh, now _that_ is funny!" Dean laughs. "They probably gave you that bag on purpose considering what district you're from. You're a pretty boy angel Cas! Bet the folks at home will love that. Go on put them on." He urges.

"Shove off Dean. Pretty boy?" he asks questionably.

Dean blushes, thankfully its dark so Castiel does not notice. He doesn't respond and so Cas finishes of his sentence, shaking his head.

"It's not funny; I am not putting them on." Castiel pouts.

"Well they must do something; they're not going to give you anything that won't. Go and just put them on!" Dean repeats.

"No." He slips them back into the bag, without another word on the matter.

They walk for about an hour in the darkness before Dean gets fed up of tripping over tree roots.

"What do you say to setting up camp here then" Dean suggests, pointing up to a tree. "I feel safer up there."

Dean watches as Castiel struggles, climbing slowly up the tree, he's not like he was in district 11, free to roam the forests with Dean for days and days. District 12 was a lot stricter; he's lost some of his technique that would have given him the advantage in the arena.

They climb up about 20 metres, the bark beginning to burn their hands as they climb and both settle down on a large swerving, sturdy branch.

Dean notices Cas shivering as he settles down, doing his best to wrap the trench coat around himself while Dean snuggles into his warm sleeping bag.

"It's going to be a cold night...what's left of it anyway" Cas says.

"Well get in my sleeping bag with me then" Dean states casually. "There's plenty of room in here for the both of us."

Cas hesitates for a moment.

"You sure?" he asks hesitantly.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Cas raises his eyebrows at him. "I promise not to do anything inappropriate. I wouldn't want to hurt your virtue little angel boy." He chuckles to himself.

Cas slits his eyes at Dean, but welcomes the invitation, slipping into the sleeping bag and falling asleep almost immeadetly, snuggled into Deans body, smelling home for the first time in 10 years. What Dean doesn't know is Cas would give anything for his virtue to be taken by him.


	7. Fate's A Bitch

**Here's chapter 7 as promised within a week of the last chapter.**

**You may notice I've had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for girls from spn for this chapter, saving the best for last obviously. There seriously isn't a lot of women in it, us fan girls get too protective over our boys!**

**And I seriously love gabriel / Richard Speight Jr so before anyone gets on there high horse, don't! It's light-hearted and It's nothing towards this fine actor!**

**I know my favourite word to say is 'Enjoy' but Enjoy! :)**

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><p>The sound of birds chirping wakes Dean up, the sun shining into his face. The temperature has drastically changed during the night, his body dripping with sweat. He looks down and notices Cas, he hasn't done a runner in the middle of the night, on the contrary it was the opposite, during the night his hands had wrapped around Dean's body and his head was now lain upon his stomach in a warm embrace. Even though the heat is incredibly uncomfortable Dean can't help but enjoy it, lying wide awake in the hug for a couple more minutes before attempting to wake Castiel up.<p>

"Cas" Dean whispers. He gets no reply.

"Cas" he tries again with the same response.

"Cas!" He speaks a bit louder this time, shaking him gently.

"Mmm" he hears a soft moan in response and feels the vibrations move up his stomach as Cas mumbles against his body.

"Wakey Wakey sleepy head" Dean says into his ear, chuckling as he thinks how similar he and Cas are in their detest for mornings.

Cas quickly becomes alert of his position and moves away from Dean, coiling his hand quickly away, although he hardly moves at all considering how tightly packed the two of them are into the sleeping bag.

"Sorry" he whispers.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for man, seriously." Dean says truthfully. "Let's just get up and get moving, it's boiling in here, I feel like I'm in a desert."

He nods in response.

The boys both quickly pack away they're belongings. Dean quickly shoves the sleeping bag into his bag, while Cas sorts his bag out, stuffing the wings back in which had come loss during the night.

"Do you have any water Dean? I haven't had any since before entering the arena" Cas states, clutching his throat.

Dean answers by placing his hand into his bag and pulling out his water bottle, throwing it to Cas.

"Be careful though, that's all I've got, we need to find a water source fast." Cas nods in agreement, unscrewing the top and taking a few large mouthfuls in before handing it back to Dean as he takes some as well.

"Hey, look guys, Winchesters got himself a boyfriend!" a shout comes from the bottom of the tree, followed by a chorus of laughter. The voice catches Dean by surprise, making him freeze in place in fear. He doesn't dare look down to see how many tributes are there, ready to bring his and Castiel's death.

"Dean" Cas says nervously.

"How many of them are there?" he asks.

Cas looks down. "Three." He replies. They were outnumbered but it could have been worse, it's only one more tribute. Dean breaths out his mouth slowly before turning his head down to face them.

Cas is right, there's three of them; two boys and a girl, all three of them are career tributes, it's obvious by the large amount of weapons they are holding and the boys plump figures. The smallest of them is easily 10kg heavier than Dean or Castiel.

"Hey tubby, maybe if you laid off the hamburgers a little you'd get a boyfriend too!" Dean shouts down to him. He's playing into the capitols hand. The audience will love this banter and it will be urging sponsors to hand over their money for the stupid yet confident looking boy doomed high up in the tree.

The boy narrows his eyes. "Shut your cake hole! My names Gabriel, you big bag of dicks" he replies, anger laced in his voice.

He takes out the bow and arrows Dean had missed out on at the Cornucopia and begins shooting arrows at the two of them. It's obvious he's never used a bow before, the arrows missing by several metres and getting caught in branches. Dean reaches out and grabs them. angry that this boy had got it and was using it so poorly.

"Thanks!" he calls down, not letting his anger show, waving the arrows triumphantly at them before he puts them in his bag for later use.

"Come down and play like a good little boy Dean, I like to make a habit of messing with my pray before I kill it." The second boy calmly says, stepping forward, arching his head up to face Dean and Castiel in the tree.

"Nah, I rather like this tree, but by all means you can come up here and 'play''. Dean yells down.

"I would but I wouldn't want to get my hands dirty." He replies. "Gabriel go up and get the annoying boy would you." He demands.

"Yeah c'mon Gabriel, wouldn't want princes over there breaking a nail would we!" Dean exclaims gleefully. If he was going to go down he was going to go down with his dignity and with as much fight as possible.

"Go!" the boy pushes him forward, closer to the tree. Gabriel complies, moving to the tree and beginning to climb it, however he doesn't get very far before the crack of branches can be heard and he falls with a loud thump onto the ground, swearing as he hits the floor.

"Told you, you should have lain off the burgers!" Dean smiles triumphantly down at him. The boy raises his middle finger up in the air, standing up, and wiping the dust of himself.

"We can wait Winchester, you and that bible freak of yours can't stay up there forever, we've got all the supplies and weapons that we need. We've got plenty of time to wait for you. It's your fate Dean." The girl pipes in, sitting with her back against the stump of the tree, relaxing into position.

"Seriously Fate, could you stop telling every tribute you kill it's their fate, I don't care if that's your name, its fucking annoying and stupid." The calm boy mocks her, causing her to face to shrivel up in anger.

"Piss of Raphael, I can do what I want!" The two of them begin to bicker at the base of the tree.

"She's right you know Dean" Cas whispers, worry evidently written across his face, as the two of them look at each other.

"Don't worry Cas, I'll think of something." Dean says, pulling him into a one armed embrace, patting him lightly on the back. "I always do."

It's getting on for 2 hours before either of the two talk again, both heavy with thought. Dean is worried that his retaliation has made the career tributes even thirstier for his and Castiel's blood. He's made them seem likes fools to the people of the capitol and it will have seriously damaged there sponsorship chances if they live for much longer and he can't think of a way out of the tree without endangering his life and Cas'.

"Well, guess it's safe to say we're screwed then" Cas perks up.

"Mhmm, here eat this" he hands Cas some meat and crackers. "It's all we've got while we're stuck up here."

They nibble away at the food, both hungry for more in more ways than one.

The temperature suddenly turns icy cold, sending shivers down Dean's spine. He watches his breath as it slide's out of his mouth as if it was a cold winters morning. It doesn't feel right; the change is so sudden that it feels forced and wrong. He can tell by the look on Castiel's face that he is having similar thoughts to his own.

Both boys turn their heads downwards, checking on the career tributes and notice a pale and white figure quickly advancing towards them through the trees.

The ghostly complexion lunges forward, sweeping over the forest floor at an alarming speed, whipping around the roots and leaves as if they weren't there to begin with. It's obviously nothing human no matter how much it may look like it.

Raphael and Gabriel bolt, dropping their weapons, carrying nothing but the bag on their backs, Fate on the other hand wasn't so lucky. She had been taking a nap at the time, the shrieks of her peers 20 metres away wakes her up too late. She's groggy and doesn't notice the figure until it's on top of her.

She screams out, shrieking as it brings its face over hers, placing its jaw upon her struggling lips. It looks as if it's sucking the life out of her, and that's exactly what it's doing, as not even a minute later the cannon booms, signalling a death and she stops struggling, her cold lifeless body laying still on the ground.

Dean covers Castiel's mouth with his hand, placing his other with one finger up against his lips, indicating for him to remain still and quiet.

The figure stays frozen for a moment before sweeping off in the direction of the other career tributes, following there still audible screeches through the forest.

They give it a couple of minutes before quickly descending down the tree. Dean darts for the bow, grateful that Gabriel, the big dufus dropped it in his hurry to get away. Now Dean had a real weapon, a weapon he could use, a weapon that gave him an advantage.

"Quick, in case they or that thing come back for us" Cas urges, picking up some bread and a long sharp knife before they both take off, running in the opposite direction as the career tributes.

They run for what seems like forever, not daring to stop for any reason. Each stride sends pains jolting through Deans legs but he gets through it, pushing one leg in front of the other.

They're running so fast that they're in the water before they even realise it's there, making a big splash as they both tumble in, sinking down before they're heads resurface again.

Dean spurts the water out of his mouth, gasping for air and slowly clambers to the side of the pond, pulling himself up out of it, Cas following suit shortly afterwards.

"I guess there's more in these forests than just tributes and animals" Dean chokes out, breathing heavily as the adrenaline pumps through his body, sitting forward with his hands on his knees trying to regain his breath.

"You can...say that again" replies Castiel gasping for air.

"What the hell was that thing?" Dean asks.

"I'm not sure; it looked like some kind of ghost" Cas replies.

"A ghost? C'mon Cas, you don't really believe in all that supernatural rubbish do you?"

"Why not?" he asks seriously.

"It's just ridiculous. Nothing like that is real. No demons, no werewolf's, no vampires or any other supernatural being. It's all just stories invented to entertain the people of the capitol." Dean states sickly.

"There could be anything in this arena Dean, whether its capitol made or the real thing, I believe in it." He says truthfully.

"Well okay loopy, but hey at least there's an upside, we found water." Dean quickly changes the subject not wanting to get in an argument with Cas now, he knew what he was like once he got into a heated argument and when they were younger the two of them would go for days without talking because of some stupid argument they had.

Dean gets his water bottle out of his bag and plunges it into the water, collecting as much as possible in the bottle before grabbing the iodine from the bottom of his bag and adding drops to purify the water. He and Cas sit by the water, waiting the 30 minutes before gulping down the water between the two of them in an instance. They repeat this pattern for 2 hours until they both feel bloated with water before refilling it once more and placing it into his bag for later.

They both lay by the side of the small pond, side by side next to each other. Cas suddenly moves forward, placing his fingers over Dean's neck and pulling his amulet out from under his shirt.

"I remember this, it was your...father's right?" he asks, holding the amulet between his fingers.

Dean nods slowly, not wanting to go into detail on the subject while the whole of the capitol and districts were potentially watching him.

"Where's your token Cas? I haven't noticed it yet" he asks curiously.

"That's because I didn't bring one with me" he states. "There's nothing really important in district 12 for me to bring into the arena other than my faith and that's in here" he gestures to his heart.

Dean pulls his head up to face him. "I'm sorry to hear that man."

"Meh don't worry about it, your much better than any token I could bring in with me." Cas smiles at him, causing Dean to blush.

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asks curiously.

"Well you know...like...your. You're my best friend, and the only person I'd trust in here, I don't think I'd even trust my own family over you Dean. You're important to me"

Dean pulls him into an embrace. "You're important to me too buddy, what would I do without my trench coated baby, I don't think you realise how important." He says, whispering the last part.

Their faces are an inch apart now, slowly moving closer and closer to each other.


	8. Love's Found In Strange Places

**Chapter 8 :) **

**Just got back from watching The Hunger Games, it was absolutely amazing, don't worry I'm not going to give anything away. Josh Hutcherson played an outstanding Peeta, I don't think he could of played him any better.**

**The girl from Orphan still gives me the creeps though.**

**A lot of Dean/Cas in this chapter which will develop more in the next :)**

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><p>Dean pulls back, suddenly aware of what he was about to do.<p>

"Urmm, let's get moving shall we?" He suggests, standing up.

Cas stays frozen for a couple of seconds before answering with a simple nod, following Dean's actions. The two walk in an awkward silence, giving them both time to think.

Dean ponders over what had just happened. Was he really about to kiss Castiel? his friend, his _best _friend. He was always so sure of his sexuality back home, he had girls from all over the district swooning over him, for god knows what reasons and on more than one occasion he'd take his pick of these girls. He enjoyed his time with them.

But now? Now he wasn't so sure. As they walk he steals quick glances at Castiel, watching as his hair bounces up and down as he walks, and how every so often he would lick his lips ever so slightly. It's all the little things that Dean notices and loves about Castiel but never before had he thought of it as nothing more than love for a friend, certainly not as a lover. Was it even possible that Cas saw him in that way?

The cannon sounds off somewhere in the distance, throwing Dean from his thoughts. Another tribute has died; he wonders who the unlucky soul was. It won't be long now until the recap of the deaths for today will be announced.

A loud growl from Cas' stomach makes Dean chuckle.

"You hungry?" he asks, shoving Cas teasingly.

"That's a bit of an under statement" he replies.

"Well thanks to this beauty I can catch us some real grub" Dean says smiling, triumphantly waving the bow in his hands.

Within an hour Dean had caught 2 rabbits and found a small pond to wash them off in, set them on a ember fire and the both of them were now both tucking into their food along with some crackers.

"Mmm" Cas moans. "This is so good" he states as he's taking a bite of a leg. Dean wishes he wouldn't make them sorts of noises. It sends sparks running through his body and he can't let this happen can he?, could he really be falling for his best friend? Someone that could be ripped away from him at any second in this arena.

The anthem begins to play while they're eating, and the night sky is light up revealing just two deaths for the day. The killing is slowing down and they'll begin introducing more triggers into the arena, they don't want the public to get bored. The first tribute is a familiar face, Fate from district 2 and the second a small girl from district 9. Still no Madison Dean thinks to himself, unsure whether to be anxious or relieved.

"I try and feel bad about Fate, but I don't" Cas says to Dean. "she died because of us Dean and I don't care. She was annoying and trying to kill us but – I don't know it just feels strange to me to not feel any remorse over her death. I don't want these games to change me before I die Dean, I want to keep my humanity." he states.

It's things like this that make it hard for Dean not to have feelings for Cas, always trying to remain so human and never letting it be took away from him, Dean wishes he could be as compassionate over things as he is, but he's not, and that can't be changed. Dean chooses to combat the end of the sentence first.

"You're not going to die man, c'mon, stop talking like that. She got what was coming to her. It was either us or her and it wasn't our fault that thing come out of the woods and killed her." Dean replies.

"Yeah but if we weren't there then she wouldn't have been under that tree asleep" he states.

"You've just got to think of it as fate Cas- that wasn't meant to be some dig at her name. I mean it, the odds were she was going to die eventually in this arena, you shouldn't have to feel like you should be guilty about her death, and it wasn't your fault. We didn't sign up for this."

"No...We didn't. Let's find a tree, it's getting too dark" Castiel urges, eager to change the subject.

Dean complies, he's tired and it means he gets to share a sleeping bag with Cas again.

Just as it was yesterday, when Dean wakes up Cas is securely wrapped around his body, although it's not as hot as it was the day before, it's comfortable now and Dean doesn't try and wake him up, staying in the position until Cas wakes himself up.

As Cas moves his head up Dean closes his eyes, pretending to still be asleep. He feels the cool touch of Castiel's fingers over his cheek, it's nice and comforting.

He then feels as his body is pulled away from Castiel's, and he gets out of the sleeping bag with some difficulty.

"Where are you going Cas?" Dean asks, pretending to have just woken up from the movement.

"Urmm, I was just going to hunt some animals for our breakfast." He replies, Cas was always a bad liar when he was younger and now, now is no different. His eyes give everything away. "Thought you were still sleeping." he shrugs.

"That's bullshit and we both know it, you can't hunt to save your life." Dean states, sitting upright in the sleeping bag. "So where are you going?" he repeats.

"I-"

"You were leaving weren't you?" Dean hates to think it, let alone say it out loud.

"No, I ...Yes" he sighs, giving in, knowing there was no use trying to argue the lie to Dean effectively.

"Why?" he asks.

"You know why Dean. We can't stay like this forever, there's what 8? 9 tributes left and with every death that comes the more inevitable an end where one of us having to kill the other is. I'm not going to play into their game." He says as he begins to climb down the tree slowly, hiking his bag up onto his shoulders.

Dean quickly packs up his bag and follows him, pulling his arm back as he reaches the bottom. He's much slower than Dean down the tree taking his time and it works to Deans advantage.

"Stop Cas, please. Let's just talk about this." he urges.

"There's nothing to talk about Dean. What happens if were the last 2 left, I can't be put in that situation." He shakes his arm out of Dean's grip only for it to be there again in an instance.

"Please, let go!" Cas can feel tears quickly filling his eyes, and pulls his trench coat closer around him, turning his face away from him.

"No, I can't let you go." Dean struggles, rushing after him as he tries to outrun him.

"Why! Why is this so hard for you? I need to do this." he retaliates.

"Because... it just is okay, your my best friend!"

"No Dean, that's not good enough, I've seen plenty of people kill their friends in these games, What seperates us from all those other tributes that though the exact same things we do! Why would we be any different?" Cas is desperately shouting at Dean now as tears begin to roll down his cheeks.

"Because I love you okay!" As the words escape Deans mouth he regrets saying them, placing his hands over his mouth and freezing in place. He had just confessed his love for another districts tribute to thousands in the districts and the capitol. It would seriously damage his sponsor chances and wouldn't bode well with the game makers.

"You- love me?" Castiel asks, his eyes going as wide as saucepans. He was certainly not expecting that answer.

Dean's face is as bright as a cherry, he might as well of being wearing a flashing neon sign above his heading saying 'yes', he doesn't dare to look upon at Castiel's face he's too embarrassed.

When he finally does look up Castiel's face is an inch from his. This time when they get closer Dean doesn't stop himself,

He whispers "Oh fuck it" talking about the audience, before allowing his lips to softly brush over Castiel's, sending electricity rushing through his body. He increases the pressure and intensity of the kiss, moaning in pleasure as their lips move slowly against each other in perfect harmony.

"I take that as a yes then?" Cas says as he pulls away from the kiss.

"Definitely" Dean smiles.

"Well unless that kiss was misleading for you, I love you too, I know my district is going to be furious with me for this, but I don't care. It's you Dean, It will always be – " Cas is cut off.

BANG. A gunshot sounds, and it's close to. The boys sprint forward quickly forgetting what they were talking about and rushing to be out of the guns range before whipping behind a large tree, chests heaving as another shot goes off.

"Come on out you cowards, I know you're there!" the voice shouts, ringing out.

"I know that voice" Cas states to Dean.

Castiel goes to step forward but Dean pulls him back before he can, pulling him right up against his chest, it would be impossible for their bodies to be any closer. Dean can feel his heart pumping fast and feel his soft hair against his cheek.

"Are you suicidal?" he whispers furiously.

Castiel doesn't answer, but again goes to step forward, and this time Dean lets him as he moves away from his body, immeadetly missing the contact.

"Anna is that you?" he asks as he steps straight into the target range of the gun.

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><p><strong>ooooo, reviews? :) - Also welcome home Misha! Anyone else happy to see the return of Castiel to our tv screens tonight?<strong>

**Sorry I had to reload this chapter up! there's a few revisions but also it wasn't showing up on my ff page! **


	9. Berry Deadly

**Thank for reading! :) Sorry about the cliffhanger, I do love cliffhangers.**

**Chapter 9, nearly at double figures! :D**

** I 'wasted' my 3 hours of study today to finish this, It was worth it though, Let me know what you think and if there's any supenatural characters you'd love to see involved x**

** I'll post a list of the remaining tributes in the next chapter AN. **

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><p>"Castiel" the shooter says hesitantly, tilting their head at him. "what a surprise it is to find you." They state, lowering the gun down slightly but not enough for Cas to feel safe that they wouldn't shoot if he moves forward, they're less than 10 metres away from him now.<p>

"It is you." he smiles at her.

"I can't say it's a pleasure to see you old friend" she copies his smile.

"Not under these circumstances, No" he replies shuffling his feet slightly.

"So who's this?" Dean asks, stepping out from behind the tree, not wanting to leave Castiel out in the open like this for long by himself, with his bow raised with an arrow already loaded in to it ready to strike in case of attack.

"An ally, don't worry" Cas replies.

"You can put the bow down" he tells Dean, but he doesn't, keeping it right where it is.

Anna quickly pulls her gun back up, pointing it at Dean's head, stopping him from relaxing his weapon down.

"Stop!" Cas demands. "He won't hurt you, I promise Anna. This is Dean"

"How can you promise that Cas?, you shouldn't be so trusting in a place like this" she states carefully.

"No Anna, This is _Dean_." Castiel emphasises his name.

"Yes, I heard you the –wait a minute. _The_ Dean?" she asks.

Castiel nods his head in response.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me" she states, lowering the gun. Dean follows suit with his bow slowly afterwards.

"Seriously? Of all the places for you to find him, you find him in the middle of a fucking death arena. I always said you had perfect timing Cas, but this is ridiculous, well fucking done." She moans at him. She reminds Dean of home, the way he and Sam would squabble.

"This is what you call perfect timing? I think your definition is wrong." He replies seriously.

"I was being – oh never mind, I see you're still the same old you that you were 2 days ago then"

"I hope so" he replies.

"So...You're_ the_ Dean then huh?" she asks turning her attention to him.

"Urmm, I guess so?" he replies, unsure what Castiel has told her about him.

"I've heard so much about you" she states, a wide smile spreading across her face as she pockets the gun.

"Yeah well I can't say the same for you" he replies cautiously, in which she shrugs in reply.

"I'm the female tribute from Castiel's district, I've spent many days and nights in his company" she winks at Dean. Was she and Cas together? Had he just failed to mention it?

She walks forward until she's standing in front of Dean, and what she does next surprises him, pulling him into a big gut clenching hug.

"I knew he'd find you again!" she whispers in his chest so Cas can't hear and leaves him be, turning to hug Castiel, one that lasts a bit too long for Dean's liking.

"So what, she's your...girlfriend from back in district 12?" He asks Cas, jealousy bubbling up inside of him as he watches the two of them interacting with each other.

They both turn to look at Dean and begin to laugh.

"Don't worry lover boy, you're safe. Me and Cas have never been down that road, he's like a brother to me. That would be wrong on so many levels to me" she states.

"Mind if I stay with you guys for today?, I' m starting to go a little crazy without any human contact that doesn't want to wear my insides as a prom dress"

"Sure" Castiel nods quickly.

It's about the middle of the day when they decide to set up a camp on the ground for a couple of hours to get some lunch in them. Dean set's off with his bow and arrow in the forest, making sure to keep fairly close and bags a few small animals before heading back to the camp.

He stops about 10 metres from camp but close enough so that he can hear Castiel and Anna chatting when he hears his name mentioned.

"...he's really good for me Anna, we're good for each other I think"

"but you do realise you're going to have to kill him eventually right? If you two get into the final two it's either him or you at the end of the day and he doesn't look like much of a sacrifice to me Cas."

There's silence for a while before he replies. "I trust him" It makes Dean's heart swell up.

"Well then you're being a fool." She replies to him, placing more wood into the fire they had made.

Dean chooses this moment to walk in carrying 3 small birds, each one hit in the eye, pretending not to have heard anything.

"Hey" he says, alerting them that he had arrived back, and diverting their conversation.

"Hey Dean" Castiel smiles up at him as he turns his body towards him.

"Look Anna found some berries, we were just waiting for you to come back to eat them" he says, popping a berry into his mouth from a bundle.

Dean looks at the berries, mounted up on top of a cloth, dark blue but not quite the same colour as a blackberry, he recognises them almost instantly and rushes forward, dropping the birds on the ground and grabs Castiel's cheeks, pushing them forward.

"SPIT IT OUT,SPIT IT OUT!" he shouts urgently at him, whacking him on the back at the same time.

He coughs the berry out his mouth as Dean quickly find some water and hands it over to him, allowing him to gulp it down.

"Those berries are Nightlock Cas, you'd be dead in a minute!" he says urgently.

"I-I didn't know." He stutters out. "I didn't know" he replies.

Dean swivels around to face Anna.

"I'll bet you she had a very good understand of what these were" he states, picking up a handful of the berries and throwing them onto the floor.

She acts shocked, standing up from the log she was sitting on to defend herself. "I didn't know! I just thought they were normal berries, where at home am I going to get experience in berry type? I'm not the one who comes from the agriculture district!"

"It is true Dean, there's not a lot of vegetation in our district, let alone berry bushes." Castiel sticks up for Anna. It makes Dean's stomach drop, he believes her over him. He doesn't trust him.

Dean watches her carefully, she avoids eye contact with him and to him it's obvious she did it on purpose.

"pfft, didn't know my ass. It's written all over her face Cas" he retaliates. "just look at her!"

Castiel hesitates before replying "No. She wouldn't."

"She tried to kill you Cas! Why don't you trust me? Why are you acting like it's not a big deal?" He doesn't wait for an answer, instead heading for his bow that he had left on top of a nearby rock when entering the camp.

He keeps one eye trained on her but she's fast, faster than Dean anticipated she would be and reacts a second too late. She runs at him and grabs his neck twisting her arm around it and pulling the gun up underneath his chin with the other.

Castiel stands for a moment shocked before making a move forward towards them, hand outstretched to Dean.

"One step closer and I blow his face off Cas" she says, making him halt in his tracks.

"Anna. Why are you doing this?" he asks, the hurt of betrayal evident in his voice, his eyes glistening with tears.

"You know why Cas, it's either you or me, it's nothing personal, it really isn't. I need to win this thing." She replies.

"But don't you get it? This is how they win, you'll never really escape this arena if you pull that trigger, it will always be in the back of your mind somewhere, don't let them take away your humanity Anna, please. Don't hurt him." Castiel tries to persuade her.

"You don't understand Cas! I need to do this, I need to win this thing and go home to my family, I'm all my dad's got left, without me he'll me dead within 2 weeks." She cries, pulling the gun up harder against Dean's chin.

"Don't you think we've all got family to go home to?" Dean chokes out, thinking of Sammy all alone back home in district 11. Dean knows he'll be watching at every opportunity he gets, he wonders how Sam will take his death, how he will cope, he knows that if he makes it home Sam will tease him for the rest of his life about nearly being killed by a girl.

"Please, Anna. Don't let them win, can't you see, you're just a pawn in their games! Please just let him go"

"I can't" she cries out. "I need to do this!" she screams at him hysterically.

"Do you really want your dad to see you murder all these innocent people? You think they'll treat you the same way back in the district? No, they won't, you'll be a disgrace Anna, and I'd be surprised if your father even talked to you if you won. Killing is a sin Anna and we both know it's wrong no matter what the circumstances, so needing to be there for your father is a load of bollocks."

Dean is surprised at Castiel, he usually never swears. It throws Anna off as well.

The mere second that she's distracted opens up a chance for Dean. He quickly whips up his hand, whacking the gun from out of her hand and onto the floor, falling a few metres away form where they were stood. She scrabbles forward for the gun, reaching it as Dean grabs her leg, pulling her down onto the ground.

"Aghh, get off me!" she screams out, kicking and fidgeting forward until her hands clasp around the cold gun handle.

BANG. The gun goes off.

Dean's unsure of which direction the bullet went until he hears Castiel scream out in pain and hears the loud thud as he falls to the ground.

He watches as Castiel kneels down in searing pain as it spreads through his leg. He tries to get up but can't walk on it, Dean is worried about the rate in which the blood is trickling down his leg.

Anna stops squirming, shocked at the fact she had actually shot Castiel, opening opportunity to strike to him.

"I'm-I'm sorry Castiel. I'm sorry" she whispers.

Dean reacts on instinct, grabbing his bow and shooting an arrow right into her heart before she can move, making her stagger backwards a couple of feet before falling down on the forest floor, followed a few seconds later by the cannon booming off. She's dead.

Dean sighs in relief but its short lived as he hears Castiel scream out his name and remembers the danger he's in.

"Dean, I can't – ahh fuck!" he scrunches his face up in agony as he tries to stand on his leg.

Dean rushes over to Castiel, ripping his shirt sleeve off and tying it in a knot around where the bullet entered his leg, keeping pressure on it and stopping some of the blood from seeping out.

He quickly picks up the gun and some of the berries and stuffs them into his bag and hoists his bow onto his back. He then pulls Cas up gently, letting him lean on him and helping him stand up.

"Oh God Cas, we've got to get you somewhere safe fast, you're losing a lot of blood."

"There's no where safe here, just leave me here Dean, it's fine, you'll be better of without me" he laughs out in reply trying to hide his pain.

"Why do you think you don't deserve to be saved? because you do Cas, a lot more than I bloody do, so suck it up and let me help you" he states, placing a soft kiss over his lips.

He returns the kiss then pulls away and nods.

Before long both of the boys are tiring, it takes too much effort for Dean to carry himself and Cas with his energy levels low already.

He places Cas on the floor, hidden away in some bushes.

"Right man, stay here and don't move, I'm going to search the forest a bit and see if I can find anywhere appropriate for us" he says, handing him a knife for protection.

He's travels for about 10 minutes before he finds a cave, hidden by moss and bushes and it's about as perfect as they will get in the arena. He sighs in relief and begins to make his way back to Cas.

He begins to shout his name out as he gets closer.

"Cas!" he gets no reply. "Cas!" he shouts again.

He breaks into an urgent run, sweeping through the trees hoping no one had found him while he was gone, he couldn't have fought anyone off with his leg like that, and he'd be dead in a heartbeat. He was stupid to leave him.

When he reaches him Castiel is unconscious.

"Fuck" Dean swears, brushing his fingers through his hair. On instinct he picks his body up in his arms, caressing him to his chest. He feels like he weighs as much as a tonne of bricks but he manages it and carries him the distance to the cave, seeming much longer now than before.

Dean lays him down, unwraps the bandage and searches through Castiel's trench coats pockets for the knife he had given him earlier. Once he finds it he grimaces at what he needs to do, pushing the knife into Castiel's leg, making his body flinch up whilst he's pushing the bullet out, and causing even more blood to seep out of his leg. He quickly re wraps the bandage, pulling the knot tightly. He can't do any more than that, he hopes Castiel has got good sponsors because without them helping he didn't stand much of a chance.

He pulls himself up away from his leg and lies down next to him, swinging his harm over his warm body and placing his head in Castiel's neck.

"Please don't die Cas, I need you" he whispers.


	10. A Pain In The Ass

**Sorry that this chapter is a bit later than I hope to have it out by! My dad got some pretty devastating news and it's took a lot of my time away from writing as I've needed to be around my family more, and along with revision it doesn't hold up my time for writing.**

**As promised a tribute list:**

**Those in bold are dead and if the district isn't there or theres only one name it means they're both or one's dead or they weren't important.**

District 1 – Ruby, Lucifer

District 2 – **Fate**, Gabriel

District 3 – Crowley, Meg

District 5 – Raphael

District 6 – Lisa

District 9 – Zachariah

District 10 – Michael

District 11 – Dean, Madison

District 12 – Castiel,** Anna**

**Enjoy! :)**

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><p>Dean lies like this on Castiel for several hours, keeping guard, not sleeping but just simply thinking over everything in his head before he decides to head out and hunt for some food. He doesn't feel comfortable leaving him without any defence but he knows that Castiel will need something substantial to eat if- when he wakes up and the cave is well enough hidden.<p>

He goes out of the cave, covering it back up as he leaves so it's only findable only if you knew it was already there and manages to get a few good catches, 2 rabbits and a bird, setting up a fire and cooking it all before heading back, not wanting to alert anyone close to where Castiel was laid, hurt and with not much chance of survival.

When he arrives back at the entrance his foot hits something hard that makes a soft metal clink as his boots come into contact with it, making him stare down. There's a small silver box draped across the floor attached to a parachute. He is unsure whether it's meant for him or Castiel but carefully opens it anyway, it's not like Castiel could, and a pot falls out into his hand along with a small piece of card with printed text on it:

**Your pretty boy angel better be worth it – **_**Balthazar.**_

He sighs in relief. There was a good chance Castiel would live without the medicine ordinarily, but not in the arena. He wouldn't be able to walk and if someone attacked them he'd be a goner. Balthazar probably just saved his life. This is the one time Dean feel's something other than an unsettling hatred towards this man. As Castiel and Dean have allied together Balthazar will now be working with the mentors from district 12 as well and he would have had to see it as important for both of them to help. He knows Dean will not be playing his best while Castiel is injured. He says "Thank you" out loud as he looks up at the holographic sky and unscrews the lid of the pot, bringing it up to his nose and smelling it. It's smells of roses and is an odd cyan colour like the colour of the sea on a sunny day. He puts the lid back on and enters the cave.

Dean shakes Castiel and quickly finds that nothing has changed, he is still unconscious. He pulls off the bandage on his leg and begins to apply the cream to his wound, slowly rubbing it in, thick and heavy in neat circles. It mix's in with the blood so takes a while but he gets enough onto the wound eventually to be happy that it will have an effect.

It's not the highest technology from the Capitol; it doesn't seem to be doing anything straight away, but medicine, whatever type of medicine, is better than no medicine in Dean's book. Dean rips the other sleeve off his shirt and wraps it around the wound, reapplying the pressure to it.

It's another hour before Dean hears Castiel's soft moan and it's like music to his ears as he quickly moves in front of his face.

"Hey" he whispers softly against his ear.

Dean presses his lips upon Castiel's, desperate and hungry for him. He moans in response, in a mixture of pain and pleasures, making Dean pull back, guiltily.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself" he says, stroking Cas' cheek softly with his fingers.

"Don't apologise, I shouldn't be so damn attractive" he jokes.

"I-I thought I'd lost you" he responds quietly.

"Can't get rid of me that easily" he states, attempting to sit upright, but falling short and Dean notices the discomfort in his face give in.

"You're a total pain in the ass, you know that?" Dean tells him, helping to pull him into an upright position. He doesn't mean it though; Castiel can see that he doesn't from the warmth of his eyes as they bore into his own. He chuckles in reply.

"Yeah well I'm afraid to say you're stuck with me" he wheezes out.

"I wouldn't have it any other way" Dean replies seriously.

He tries to make Castiel eat but he doesn't manage much, only about half a leg of rabbit before he begins to make a fuss that he'll be sick if he eats anymore. He does manage to get 2 litres of water into his system slowly though.

It's not long before Castiel slips back to sleep and Dean let's him no matter how heavy his own eyelids feel, he needs his sleep with the amount of blood he's lost. Even with the medicine he's still burning up and shivering through his sleep. Dean wraps the sleeping bag around him and lays by his side bow in hand.

Dean is startled awake to the sound of bones being scrapped. He had accidently fell asleep whilst on guard. He was just so tired and needed his rest, he mentally kicks himself for being so stupid, anything could have happened while he was out, but it didn't. He wakes up to a happy site, Castiel is sat up straight chewing down on the rest of the rabbit. Dean knows this is a good sign, his hunger is resurfacing, even though he only lost his appetite for what can't be more than a few hours it makes Dean happy. He sits up and asks the first question that pops into his head.

"How's your wound?" he asks.

"Good morning to you as well" he smiles at Dean.

In response Castiel pulls his trouser leg up, showing it to him, showing his wound, where the bullet had entered it was still a deep red colour but there was hardly any blood coming out of it, and what was could be stopped easily with a cloth or even a plaster.

"That's so much better!" Dean exclaims, pulling him closer to the entrance for light to inspect it. "Can you walk on it?"

"A bit" Castiel responds. "I've got one hell of a limp though" he says in-between mouthfuls of rabbit.

"Sorry about the rabbit, I was just so hungry" Cas sheepishly says as he finishes off the last of it.

"Don't worry about it, we can always get more where that came from" he states tapping his bow.

"What happened to your face?" he asks as Dean's body hits the light.

"My face?... Nothing that I know of" he responds, moving his hands up to his face and wiping them across every surface, wincing as he reaches the bruising on his left cheek.

"Huh, must have bruised when Anna whacked me in the face when she was struggling for the gun, didn't think she got me that hard. I hadn't even noticed." He states shrugging; his injuries were in no comparison to Castiel's and so he deemed them to not be important, it was just a bruise.

"Oh god. Anna." Castiel grimaces.

"Oh no, I know that look, don't you dare man, that fucking broad shot you, do not do this, do not go feeling all sorry or guilty about her death. She got what was coming to her. She feed you poisonous berries for god's sake, even worse she pretended to be your friend whilst she was doing it!"

"Please don't say that, you're being disrespectful to her and disrespectful to god." He whispers quietly, rubbing his fingers against each other.

"Oh please just stop it, stop with all this religious bullshit! There is no god in this shithole of a world, how can there be? You were never this religious in district 11, it's not the real you, so what the hell did those nut jobs in 12 do to you?"

"It's not bullshit Dean, my faith is very important to me! It's who I am, without it I'm nothing, nobody!."

"Yes you are Cas, you are so very much more than that, you were before you went to district 12 and you are now. I don't understand why you can't see that. You're the most wonderful and important person that I've ever met in my whole life. The way you care so much about everything, the way you're so quick not to judge people, the way your eyes glisten when talking to me, do I need to go on before I've got a list so long that we'll be here until the games have finished because everyone else will dead because they've ran out of food waiting to find us " Dean pulls Castiel's head into his lap, he doesn't resist. It's been a rough couple of days and there were more to follow. The two of them could be dead this time tomorrow, and they both knew it, they couldn't stay mad with each other no matter how much they may want to, some things were more important.

"When we were younger you use to come to me for escape Cas, to get away from your family, don't you remember that?"

He simply nods but it's a while before Castiel speaks, and it's not about the distant past.

"I'm not feeling guilty about Anna's death; I'm just sad Dean, okay. I grew up with her when we moved. She was my friend, and these games turned her into a monster. I think I'm entitled to feeling sad about her death"

"I- Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't think" and it's true, he hadn't, one look at Castiel's face and he had blurted out everything he could think of at once to make Castiel stop looking that way, it broke his heart to see Cas upset. He didn't think that maybe he needed to feel this way, just for a little bit. Dean let's him, he knows what it's like to have to be the strong one, he doesn't want Cas to have to go through the same with him. They stay like this for god knows how long, with Cas laying on Dean's lap while he softly ran his fingers through his soft hair.

Dean takes the time now to inspect the gun that had shot Castiel, he had only just remembered to pick it up when they were leaving, he didn't want it falling into anyone else's hand. He recognizes it deep in the back of his mind.

"Hey I know this type of gun, It's a colt." He says, stroking his hand across the detail on the barrel of the gun.

"How do you know about guns, I thought you were more of an arrow man?" Castiel says.

"I am, My dad had one before he – before he left. He never used it, said it was an old family heirloom. He took it with him when he left. Guess he cares more about a fucking gun than his own children." Dean says bitterly, only just now realising what his father's act in taking the gun would look like to Sammy. Dean had faith in their father, but Sam? No, he'd see it as more evidence that their father didn't give a shit about them, and now Dean wasn't at home to ensure him that he did.

"How many tributes are left?" Dean asks.

'I don't know, can't be many, 8? 9? 10 maybe" he responds.

"Let's see there are us two, Raphael, the lump Gabriel, Ruby, Madison..."

"Crowley and Meg from district 3, they're both sly as anything, don't trust them" Castiel interrupts.

"So that's 8, there's more but I can't think of any right now" he sighs.

"Me either, but we'll figure it out tomorrow, after the death count comes up tonight." Cas says, sitting up off his lap. Dean nods in response.

"You still hungry? I'm going to head out and find some more grub considering you eat all ours." Dean states jokingly. He's happy Cas eat it rather than not eating at all.

Castiel nods. "I'll come with you"

"Nah Cas, you need your rest. Stay here, I don't want you to over exert yourself" Dean pushes down on his chest, making him lay back down.

He sighs but agrees, knowing it's for the best really.

'"We'll move out tomorrow, you can walk around then" Dean states trying to comfort him. He gives him a long kiss on the lips before picking up his bow and arrows and heading out of the cave. The kiss was filled with passion and longing. It was a kiss that meant "I'll be back for more" not one that meant "goodbye."

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><p><strong>Review?, If you don't demons will hunt you down like they hunted Jimmy Novak! <strong>

**Just kidding, or am i? ;)**


	11. Demonic Eyes

**Chapter 11, **

**The last day of my Easter holidays :( got school in the morning for history revision. A month till my first exam. Panic mode has set in!**

** Hope you like (bet you were thinking I was going to say enjoy wern't you ;) ) this chapter!**

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><p>After Dean has finished hunting he finds a small pond and decides to rest next to it for a while before heading back. He cherishes his time with Castiel considering how limited it may be but he desperately needed to get some fresh air in him instead of that damp musty cave air.<p>

He hears the whoosh of the knife before he sees it as it speeds past him, swooping past his ear no less than 1cm away from it as it finds a home wedged into a tree slightly to the left of him.

He sits up urgently, searching for who sent the knife his way and locks eyes with the deep red eyes of the district 1 girl Ruby standing about 15 metres from him, looking as demonic as she did at her reaping, a smile creeping up on to her playful lips. He realises it wasn't luck that made the knife go into the tree instead of into his skull, she had done it on purpose. She never missed a target in the training sessions and she wouldn't now, this was a simple message: she wanted to play and Dean was her prey.

"Next time I won't miss" she states, confirming Deans thoughts.

Dean scrabbles up from the floor and raises his bow, arrow already loaded into it and shoots at her. She deflects it, bringing up one of her many knifes and allowing the blade to push the arrow out of the way. She's had plenty of practice.

Ruby bolts for him, and she's even faster than Anna, she's like a cheetah. He sends more arrows her way but she deflects every single one of them and she's less 5 metres away before Dean decides to make a run for it, and it's a stupid move, she's way faster than he is in this low energy state and he knew it as well and still he turned his back on her and ran. She sends a knife straight for the back of Dean's head. He ducks but he does so half a second too late as it clips the top of his head making him stumble as it cuts deep into him as it passes deflects from his head onto the ground and gives Ruby a chance for attack on him.

She jumps on top of him, pulling his body around so his face is opposite hers and wraps her legs around his body in a strong locked hold. He's not going any where any time soon.

"Told you your dead Winchester" she states as she brings a knife close up his throat and tries to push it down. Dean has his hands wrapped around hers though, trying to push her arms away from his neck and although she's making a dent he manages to stop her from completely cutting his neck open.

For a girl she's got a hell of a lot of strength though, and it takes all that he has in him to keep the knife from slicing completely into his skin which proves even more difficult with the possibility of a concussion from the pain radiating at the back of his head.

"Well, well, well Dean. I'm disappointed. Here I am on top of you like this and Dean Junior can't even be bothered to make an appearance for me, what a poor show." She laughs and uses her other hand to punch him square in the eye.

He responds by spitting at her, and it lands directly in her left eye. It doesn't seem to faze her much though; she simply wipes her eye off and continues talking, loving the sound of her own voice. Even with just one arm on him Dean can't out strengthen her and it bruises his ego a little bit.

"Oh that's right; you bat for the other team now don't you" She coos, tilting her head slightly to the left in a mocking manner. Dean doesn't respond, instead focusing on struggling against her tight grip.

"So where is lover boy then? Figured out what a waste of a space you are has he? Or did someone else drain his life before I got the chance to?" she asks.

"He, He's dead. Nothing to concern you with anymore" Dean tells her. His acting is less than convincing; she doesn't buy it for a second.

"Oh c'mon Dean, do I really look that stupid? I find that insulting."

She catches him off guard as she grabs the knife out from under his neck, twists one of his hands around and out and stabs the knife into it directly in one swift movement.

"AHHHH FUCK" Dean screams out in pain. She ignores his moans, pulling the knife out and wiping Dean's blood from the blade.

"That's funny, because his silly little face wasn't up on that big screen last night and I haven't heard a single cannon boom all morning... so where is he?" she asks, placing the knife back at his throat.

"Go to hell" Dean chokes out and in response she digs the knife in harder, making rough cuts against his skin.

"I don't think you're in any position to be talking to me like this Dean; in fact I don't want you to tell me where he is, you're going to lead me to straight to him"

He wouldn't do it, he couldn't, he needed to protect Castiel by any means that he could.

"Am I? And why do you think that? Seems like a pretty cruddy deal on my end. I don't show you where he is I die, I do and you kill me and Cas anyway. There's no option here where I win"

She releases the knife slightly but still leaves it so it's tight on him, pondering over what Dean has said, her long curly brown hair masking her facial expressions from Dean.

"Hmm, you make a fair point. I'll tell you what...you lead me to young Cassy and I'll let you but only you go, just this once. That little religious freak really sets my teeth on edge. So what do ya say? "

"No." He answers almost immediately. Dean isn't stupid, he wouldn't do that to Castiel, and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did.

"Oh c'mon Winchester, It's a good deal, he's going to end up dead anyway."

"No" he repeats.

"Ugh, fine have it your way. Love is such a pain in the ass." She states, pushing all her force now onto Dean's neck. He wiggles and struggles against her, scrunching up his face in pain and agony as he uses the hand the knife went through.

"Not if I can help it he won't" he's struggling to breathe now, the knife cutting slowly deeper and deeper into his neck.

Suddenly the knife is gone. Ruby's eyes go wide and she jumps off of Dean in an instant and rushes through the trees, if it wasn't for the deep cuts in his neck and the pain slicing through his hand and head it would be hard for him to not think it was a dream.

To say Dean is confused would certainly be an understatement. Someone like Ruby wouldn't leave Dean alive for any old reason, it would have to be something important.

It's not until he sees the creature coming towards him that he understands, she was scared of this thing, which meant that he should be too. He gets up to move but it's in front of his face in an instant, as if it had had just blinked and moved 20 metres. It's a lot like the ghostly figure that killed Fate but instead of a ghostly complexion it's almost black and has chains wrapped around it's body.

The creature hesitates over Dean before placing one of its fingers to his mouth, telling him to be quiet. It's finger feels like ice against Dean's lips and it sends chills running through his spine before it glides off not paying even a glance back in his direction.

For things that were supposed to be endangering his life, these creatures, these things in the arena were a god send. Without the ghost Dean and Cas would of starved to death in a tree and now this thing had just saved him from almost certain death. The way Ruby ran away, she was terrified of it, why would it kill her and not him? It was almost as if they were trying to keep Dean alive, which was a ridiculous idea in a death arena.

If Cas was here he'd say angels we're watching over them. Dean chuckles lightly as he thinks of it.

He gets up and tries running but the cuts are irritating and he soon finds he needs to rest.

Dean sighs, his chest heaving up and down in need of large gulps of air.

He places his fingers up against his neck and takes them away again; his hands are covered in blood. He had already used his sleeves for Cas' wounds so he reaches down to his trousers and rips the bottom of them off. One for his hand, the other for his neck. His head would have to wait until he got back to Cas.

Suddenly he feels a tight prick on the side of his cheek.

"Fucking Mosquitoes" he whispers under his breath, his voice ragged and sore as he speaks from the deep cuts along his neck. He massages the place where the creature had stung him and lays back down again. He doesn't get to rest for long.

"Dean!"

His ears prick up in an instance, almost like a dog as they spot a cat and the recognition of the shout forms a pit deep in the bottom of his stomach; it's the voice of someone who's in pain, someone who's struggling, someone who's about to die and Dean is there last hope. It's not Castiel's voice though, no. It's worse. This voice belongs to Sammy.

He jumps up and runs as fast as he can in the direction of his voice, he wants to scream out, he needs to find him but he's a lot slower than he'd normally be, his injuries are slowing him down.

Dean is frantic. Why is Sam here? Why would the capitol send him into the arena? Are they punishing him for his open relations with Castiel? No, the capitol people love that sort of thing no matter if President Snow is a homophobic asshole, they'd have a riot on their hands. Dean tries to scream out to him but all that manages to come out of my mouth is a raspy whisper, which no one would have any hope to understand let alone hear, the cut's along my throat make it painful to talk. His clouded vision causes him to trip over too many branches and eventually with a thud he falls to the ground as a large stump catches him off guard, causing him to skid face first into the hard cracked ground. He moans and struggles to get back up, making it halfway before falling back down onto the floor again.

"Dean!" he hears Sam say his name again, this time his voice is louder, more urgent. Dean feels so weak, his neck is dripping with blood but he needs to find Sam, he needs to protect him; he's the only family he has left. He slowly musters up all the strength within him and stands up and begins to run again, following Sam's voice. Dean tries his best to ignore the patches of black that are clouding his vision and tries to keep going but it's slowing him down, a lot.

"Dean, Help me, they're coming for me!" He's so close now, his voice is so clear to him. Dean can't be more than 30 metres away from him now. He tries shouting out to his brother again.

"Sam!" It isn't quite a shout but it's a lot better than what he had to work with a few minutes ago, he keep calling out, not wanting to lose him.

The trees suddenly come to an end and he drops to the floor, coughing and wheezing, looking around, it's a meadow, full of flowers bursting with life and colour.

"Dean!" His head darts in the direction of the voice and Dean notices him immediately. Right on the other side of the meadow, right on the edge, his back is facing Dean but he know it's him. The messy hair, there's no way it could be anyone else.

"Sam!" he shouts as loud as he can this time, but he doesn't turn around. He stays in the exact same position. Dean gets up and runs, straight, heading for him. He need's to protect him.

Dean is about 10 metres from him when he finally turns around to face him. He sees the recognition in Sam's eyes and Dean's name forms on his lips as his hand stretches toward him. He never hears it though because Sam never gets the chance to say it. What happens next happens to quickly for him to do anything about it, it is one of those things he can have no control over. He can't save Sam, he can't save his brother. The fire envelops him, whipping around his body like a snake closing around its prey. Dean stops running, dead in his tracks. He can do nothing but stand and watch as his brother dies.

In the moments afterwards doesn't know what to do, he's lost. All he can do is stare down at the pile of ashes that were his brother only mere moments ago and are know all that's left of his sweet innocent life. It's not real, none of its real. Dean needs for it not to be real. He entered this game to protect Sam and they killed him anyway, it can't be real.

He needs to do something; he can't let Sammy, his brother die for nothing. He wants to fight, he wants to kill every last peacekeeper out in the districts, but most importantly he wants to kill president snow: for his brother, for every single tribute he's sent into these games, for every single family these games have hurt, but he doesn't do any of this, instead he faints.

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><p><strong>Ooooh, Reviews?<strong>


	12. Dreamers

**Hey guys, I'm sorry it's been so long since i've updated. I've been none stop revising for my exams (which have now all finished! wooo!) and I've had a family emergency that's taken a lot of writing time away from me, my dad's been in the hospital and i've had to be there for him.**

**I will be updating regularly again now, exams are over and family drama is sorted.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

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><p>When Dean resurfaces the first thing he see's is Castiel's face, staring down at him with a worried expression written all over it, his eyebrows hunched down. He smiles up at him and for half a second he doesn't remember his brother is dead. It hit's him all over again like a tonne of bricks and his expression changes from one of happiness to unimaginable pain in an instance of a moment.<p>

"Sam!" He shouts, struggling to sit up. "I need to get to Sam!"Panic flashing in his eyes.

"Shh, everything's fine Dean, Calm down" Castiel urges. Pushing down gently on his chest, trying to make him lay back down as Dean had done to him before he had left earlier on.

"Sam!" Dean repeats himself, scrabbling forward.

"Calm down Dean." Castiel repeats and tries to grab Dean's body, stopping him from moving but it doesn't work. He's frantic and unaware of what he's doing.

"No, I need to get to Sam!" he says, punching Castiel straight in the face and throwing him back against the cave wall in a hard and swift movement causing him to make a loud thud as his head contacts with the hard rock.

Dean stands up and falls back down the ground almost immeadetly, dizzy and lightheaded from all the blood he's lost and the physical and emotional exhaustion of it all, every muscle in his body aches. It doesn't stop him though; he tries to get up again and this time he gets a few steps before falling down just outside the entrance to the cave. Castiel quickly follows behind him, not bothered that Dean had just assaulted him, brushing it off. The blood he can feel oozing down the back of his head would have to wait, Dean is more important than he is right now.

"He's fine Dean! Sam's fine! You were hallucinating. Whatever you saw, none of it was real" he exclaims to him. This causes Dean to stop dead in his tracks.

"I..I was?" Dean asks cautiously, not sure of what Castiel is saying and for the first time since he had awoken is not thrashing around.

"Yes! It was all just a dream Dean, that's all it was" He rubs the back of his head nervously and in doing so wipes blood all over his hands, unsure of whether Dean will trust him, slowly moving towards him.

"No." Dean shakes his head in denial. It would be too good to be true; it felt so real, so cruel. It had to be real; it couldn't possibly not be. He takes another step back away from the cave.

"Yes Dean, I'm not lying to you, you know me better than that. It looks like a tracker jacker sting the way your face has inflamed, their stings can cause powerful hallucinations." Dean subconsciously brings his hand up to his face to where the sting lump is, wincing in pain as he touches it.

"What if it isn't though Cas! It was all so real, I watched him, I watched Sammy burn into nothing but ash." He slumps down onto the ground in defeat.

"Shh, It's okay, none of it happened, you're safe now, everything's okay now Dean. You're with me, I'm here to protect you" Castiel takes Dean's head in his arms and lay's it in his lap. Letting his tears run down his lap while softly brushing his hands through his hair in a soothing rhythm.

"I can't live without him Cas, he's the only family I've got" Dean whispers into his lap.

"You don't have to Dean. He's safe back at home in district 11. Watching, just waiting for you to win and return home to him."

Dean ignores the latter of what he said. "I just wish I could see him one more time before I die."

Castiel doesn't reply. He knows no matter how much he tries to reassure Dean that he will win, it won't make a bit of difference. The statistics point highly to both of their deaths being in this arena.

It doesn't take Castiel much to get Dean back in the cave, they need to be safe and concealed away from the other tributes, not out in the open. He's not stupid, they quietly move back into the cave.

They stay silent for a while, Castiel understands. Dean thought his brother had died, the only person Dean truly loved in the world. Without Sammy he wouldn't think he'd have any reason to live. He needs time to let it sink in that he's okay. That it was all just a cruel trick.

It's whilst Castiel is picking the crusts of dried blood from the back of his head that Dean first talks.

"You know the same applies to you right Cas?"

"What?" he asks, confused by Dean's abruptness.

"I don't know how I'd cope if you died" he says it so it's barely audible.

Castiel is taken back by this. He always thought that once he died Dean would morn him for a couple of minutes and move on. You couldn't win this thing distraught with madness and pain of your losses.. The only year that's happened was 70th Hunger Games and the only reason Annie Cresta won because she could swim better than her opponents.

"You don't mean that Dean" Castiel sighs in response.

"Of Course I do, why wouldn't I?" he replies.

"Let me rephrase that. You can't mean that Dean" he replies. "We both know my life's going to end in this arena, that's a simple fact, but yours doesn't have to Dean. You can go home to Sam and live your life, grow old, have a family. You have to be strong."

"But I want you Cas, I don't want to bring children into a world like this. Worrying every year whether that'll be the year I have to watch my children die, I can't put a child through that. You and Sam are all the family I need."

"But I can't be there for you Dean. You need to understand. I wish for nothing but to have a life with you and Sam but it can't happen." He bends down and places a soft kiss upon Dean's forehead in which Dean responds by pulling his face around to his lips, brushing them against his own.

Castiel pulls away slightly, so his eyes are locked no more than 3 cm away from Dean's.

"Can we please just talk about something else; I don't want to think about losing you right now" Dean asks.

"Sure" Castiel doesn't want to push the matter. Dean's already been through enough for today. Him pointing out that this could very well be the last night they spent together wouldn't help matters.

He shuffles over to his bag and pulls out a wrapped up bundle.

"Mmm, I thought we didn't have any food left" Dean says bluntly as Castiel unwraps the rabbit meat.

"Yeah well with you down for the count I've had to take my hand out to hunting, and trust me, I'm so glad you're awake now because I don't really fancy it. Hunting is not my strong area; it took me nearly 3 hours to catch that rabbit. I'll stick to my good old verbal reasoning"

Dean chuckles at the image of Castiel in the woods getting frustrated that the arrows kept missing. He wished he would have been able to see it.

"Mmm, maybe this should be a regular thing, How long have I been gone?" Dean asks.

"Haha very funny, but no and about a day and a half, not much has happened, Raphael died. I think that Gabriel kid turned on him and slit his throat while he was sleeping."

"Huh, well he certainly got what was coming to him"

Castiel doesn't respond to Dean's comment.

"Sorry about your face, I hope it doesn't bruise" Dean says, changing the subject, knowing Castiel doesn't take death's the same way he does.

"Don't worry about it, I understand." Castiel shrugs his shoulders.

"How'd you find me anyway? I thought I told you to stay here until I came back." Dean asks.

Castiel shrugs. "They could probably hear you in the capitol the way you were shouting Dean"

"But my throat was so hoarse, I could hardly hear myself" he replies.

"Trust me, you've got one hell of a pair of lungs on you. I couldn't just leave you out there. The desperation in your voice... It broke my heart to hear you like that"

Dean slowly moves to Cas, surrounding him in a heart-warming hug.

"You do know I love you right?" he tells him.

It pulls at Castiel's heart strings. "Yes, and you know I love you don't you?" Dean nods in reply.

The two spend the rest of the day telling each other stories. Some from district 11 and some from 12. They remind both of them of good times and how no matter how poor they were, or how bad the circumstances, at least they had each other...for now.


	13. Unlucky Miracles

**Chapter 13, oooooooooh, unlucky? You'll only find out if you carry on reading! *Creepy Music***

**Hope you enjoy the chapter :)**

**It's my birthday in 4 days! Woo, how about leaving a review as a birthday present? ;)**

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><p>The next morning Dean is woken up by the sound of heaving breathing into his ear, the warm body of Castiel is wrapped around his body in a loving embrace, the sleeping bag wrapped cozily around them both. Dean wishes he could wake up like this every day, Castiel by his side, but he knows it's not going to happen.<p>

Dean quietly and slowly moves Castiel off him, making sure he's comfortable and reluctantly removes himself from the sleeping bag. The cold air hits him like a tonne of bricks and his eyes are heavy. Every joint in his body aches and he didn't get much sleep. The forest is always alive, no matter what time it is. The game makers probably did this on purpose.

He doesn't mess around. He picks up his bow and arrow and is back within 15 minutes, rabbit in hand cooked. Castiel is awake now, sitting up, replacing the bandage on his leg. His shirt is off and it takes nearly everything in Dean to stop himself from jumping on him in that moment.

"Morning" he squeaks out.

Castiel smiles up at him. "Hey" he replies.

They eat breakfast together and then the two of them pack away their things in a comfortable silence before heading out of the cave. They need to find some more water; they were running low and would be completely out by midday.

They set off, walking slowly due to their multiple injuries and they can't handle a quick pace when there isn't any need for one, they trip on tree roots at a slow speed, let alone fast.

The next thing Cas knows Dean's body is contacting with his own, shoving hard on top of him against a large tree. It's rough and abrupt, an act of urgency.

Castiel opens his mouth to ask what he's doing, this certainly wasn't the time or place for _that,_ but before he can Dean reacts and Castiel realises they are both in trouble.

"Shh!" Dean whispers, placing a finger over Castiel's lips.

His chest is heaving, and his heart is quickening as he suddenly becomes aware of the sound of snapping tree twigs and heavy footsteps getting closer and closer to them.

Dean slowly turns his head so he can see the two figures moving in their direction. He recognises the boy almost immeadetly. It's Crowley, the tribute from District 3 from the Reaping's, but he's unsure of the girl standing beside him, he quickly pulls his head back behind the tree. They can't afford to be seen. Their voices get louder and louder and eventually become clear to Dean and Cas and they're able to overhear their conversation.

"This is entirely your fault you cheap little whore, If you hadn't been so quick in cutting his blooming vocals chords we'd know where that stupid Winchester boy was by now!" He booms out, his voice gradually getting louder. It's obvious he has a very short temper.

"Oh cool it you big dog, I did you a favour. That boy was about to stab you right in the back, literally. We'll run into the Winchester boy eventually, this arena's only so big. I don't know why you're so obsessed with him anyway. "the girl replies, sighing in frustration at Crowley. It's obvious she loathes the boy next to her. Dean wonders how long it will be before one of them betrays the other, deciding that there is no longer anything they can get from there teaming.

"Am I seriously the only one this arena who doesn't underestimate that blubbering moron? Do I have to remind you he got 11 in training? I for one want to know what he did that made him stand out so bloody much" Crowley retorts back.

"He probably just got a lucky shot, he's from district 11, the only ones poorer than him are those bible freaks from 12, the game makers and bound to feel sorry for them, they have to find a way to make the stupidest sponsors help those who have lost before the games have even begun" She brushes her hair back in a swooping manner; it's obvious she loves only one person, herself and arrogance is part of her nature.

"Lucky or not, I want him gone. One less balls of cells to worry about in this stinking place." He kicks a bunch of leaves, throwing them up into the air in frustration.

"I'll do you a deal Crowley, you take Winchester, and I get the religious nut bag."

"The boy from District 12? It was probably him that made the cannon go off earlier. He's weak and helpless, religions made him like that, I'm telling ya. God won't save him here no matter how much he prays, if he's not dead now it's only a matter of days at the most..."

"Trust me it wasn't him, didn't you hear Gabriel? According to him, he's teamed up with Winchester boy and well, let's just say they do more than just share a sleeping bag." She bats her eyelids at him.

"You've got to be kidding me, that is pathetic. Even I wouldn't go that far just so I could double cross someone. Doesn't religion have something against that anyway? It's sick." Crowley scrunches him face up.

"I don't know, I like a little man on man action" Meg winks at Crowley, she can tell it unnerves him, a lot like many straight men. He shivers.

"Why do you want him anyway Meg? You may be a whore but I wouldn't have counted you as one to go after someone like that" Crowley spits on the floor in disgust as he thinks about it. This is the only thing he and Dean Winchester can agree on, how can there be a god up there that lets this type of thing happen?

"Oh I'm not, What can I say, I love watching them squeal. Giving them one last prayer before I slit their throats to pieces. Seeing how much faith they have, I don't know, you could see I'm almost jealous of there stupidity' Castiel grabs his throat at the remark.

Crowley chuckles darkly to himself.

"Oh and Crowley?" she says.

"Mmm?" he replies.

"If you call me a whore one more time you're going to run into my knife." She states simply.

The two of them carry on walking, past the tree Dean and Cas are hiding behind. Dean becomes happier and happier at every foot step they get further away from him and Cas. Somehow Dean got the vibe these two wouldn't want to sit down and share dinner with them.

But before Dean begins to get comfortable with the distance between the two separate teams two things happen .One, Castiel squawks out in pain as something hits him in the back of the leg, it was quiet but the trees cause the sound to echo around them. The second is a result of the first. Meg begins to slow down and comes to a complete stop, Crowley is several hundreds of meters away from her before he realises that she has stopped.

He looks at her, a sign of confusion on his face, he opens his mouth to speak but before he can she beats him to it.

"Wait, did you hear that?" She tilts her head as if concentrating on the noises around her.

"Hear what?" He looks at her cautiously.

"It sounded like someone was...screaming." She says in reply, swivelling her heel around so she was directly facing the tree Castiel and Dean were hiding behind.

"It was probably just a bird or something" Crowley sighs. "C'mon" He signals for her to move towards him.

"Let's just sweep the area quick, I've got a hunch" she tells Crowley. The two begin to wonder around the area, all the time getting closer and closer to Dean and Castiel, a knife propped in Meg's hand, ready to strike, anyone or anything they might find.

"On 3" Dean whispers into Castiel's ear, in which Castiel nods quickly in reply. They both know they need to make a run for it. There's no other option.

"1..." Castiel locks his clammy hand with Deans and squeezes it as he looks into his eyes. Dean knows what this is. This is a goodbye, a goodbye in case one of them or both are killed. In case they never get to see each other again.

"2.." Deans eyes are glistening into Cas'.

"3!" Both boys dart away from the tree, breaking into a run, not daring to look behind them at the other tributes.

"Hey Crowley, looks like your birthdays came early!" Meg sneers as she laughs and runs after the two of them, picking up her pace.

Dean crashes through the trees, branches one after another smacking him in the face as he runs. He can hear the thump of footsteps behind him and guesses its Crowley due to the earlier conversation. He's fast, much faster than Dean who compared to Crowley's fully nourished state, had hardly eaten and was physically and emotionally on a down spiral.

A branch suddenly his him in the eye, causing him to slow down significantly before he brings his speed back to normal.

"Fuck!" he swears, bringing his hand up to his damaged eye, the sting rocketing through his body.

His short lapse in speed is all it takes for Crowley to catch up to Dean. His whole body crashing into him, knocking the air from his lungs as he is tackled to the ground, his bow and arrows thrown away from him, landing a couple of meters away.

"Winchester!" Crowley booms, a smirk rising on his lips. Dean struggles underneath him, like a worm about to get cut in half. This is all too familiar to Dean and he knows no ghostly figure will come along and save him this time, you don't get that lucky that often. No second chances.

"So this is your secret weapon, eh? A bow and arrow? I must say I'm disappointed." He sneers.

Dean tries to laugh but it comes out as more of a cough. "You'd be surprised what I can do" he replies, wriggling underneath Crowley, trying to slip away from his grip, dragging himself closer and closer to his bow and arrows.

"Oh, stop struggling you buffoon, you're not going anywhere." Crowley states to him, clutching his hand around his knife and pulling it out from his boot, blood dried on the tip. He kicks away Dean's bow with his foot.

"I think I'm going to take my time with you" he smirks, tracing the knife down Deans cheek making him scrunch his face up.

"I'm sorry Sammy" he whispers. An image of his brother pops into his head, all alone at home in district 11, about to watch his older brother be killed, the only family he's got left. He stops struggling, he's given up. He's tired and aching. He hasn't got anything left in him.

Dean closes his eyes, he doesn't want to give Crowley the satisfaction of seeing how scared he is in this moment, doesn't want to let him watch as the light leave his eyes. He lays, waiting for the knife to pierce through his skin and his world go blank...

It doesn't happen though, he hears Crowley scream out and he watches as his body slumps down onto his own, blood begins to seep through his shirt.

He takes a deep breath, letting his heart rate drop back down. Cas, it must have been Cas. He saved him.

"Cas" Dean sighs in relief. Eternally grateful for his own personal angel in a trench coat.

"Guess again pretty boy" the voice is far more higher pitched than Castiel's is but he can see Cas, standing next to the girl that made the sound. Meg.


	14. Keep Your Enemies Close

**Hey guys, I know it's been a while since I've updated and i'm sorry :( I've been very distracted by GISHWHES ( go team hamburglarslovesbaddasilisks !) and A level coursework! **

**Anyways, a short one I know but hope you enjoy it!**

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><p>Dean's eyes go wide and he immeadetly throws himself towards his bow but before he can reach it Meg clasps her foot over it, stopping Dean from picking it up.<p>

"Now c'mon Dean, why would you want to do that, I just saved your life" she stands glaring at him, brushing her hair back behind her head in a sweeping manner, Wiping the blood from her knife away with the sleeve of her suit.

Dean glares back. "Sorry if I don't seem as trust worthy as Cas seems to be" who has now moved forward to help Dean to his feet. His face says it all though, he knows Dean is not going to be happy about this.

She ignores his comment, picks up the bow and arrows and walks over to Crowley's slump body.

"What a pain in my neck you were" she states, spitting on his body and kicking it, turning it so his face is turned up to the sky and begins to search his pockets, wiping his body off any weapons that might be useful, and pockets them in her own suit.

Dean turns his attention to Cas, but makes sure to keep a watchful eye on Meg, who was now lying on the ground, feet crossed over each to her with an amused expression etched on to her face simply watching the two boys.

"Dean I know you're not going to be happy about – "

"You've got that right! What's wrong with you Cas, teaming up with this little bitch! Are you stupid?" Dean cuts him off.

"She saved me Dean, she saved us" Cas argues back.

"You know that doesn't mean anything Cas, she's a manipulating little skank!" Dean makes sure he keeps one eye on her at all times.

"Anyone got any popcorn?" Meg interrupts. They both ignore her.

"Why do you trust her Cas?" Dean asks.

"Why don't you?" He asks. "She didn't kill me Dean, she ran after Crowley and she saved you, without her your cannon would have sounded a while ago."

"Think about it Cas, why would she want to save me over Crowley, he's from her district, it's all part of an end game for her, and once she's got what she wants from us , she'll turn on us as well.

"She saved me Dean, I know you don't like or trust her, but I would of been dead if she didn't do what she did, and I need to find a way to repay her for that" He strokes Deans back, trying to calm him down. It doesn't have the desired effect.

"She stabbed her last team mate in the back Cas! What makes you think she won't do the exact same thing to you! To us!" he replies harshly, shrugging Cas from his back.

He shrugs "I suppose I just have more faith than you do"

"If we were anywhere else Cas then maybe I would but you can't take them kind of risks in a place like this, one slip up and your dead! You can't trust anyone"

"You trust me." he whispers.

"That's different Cas, and you know it, we knew each other before we came into this arena, we love each other Cas, I would give my life for you, she has no attachment to you what so ever other than a play thing she can chew and spit out!"

"If you two are done bickering over me like an old married couple can we go? They need to come and collect this ugly bit of meat" she indicates toward Crowley's body.

Dean has no choice, the only way he can assure Cas is kept safe is if he stays and teams up with Meg, he shudders, this was taking the phrase 'keep your enemies close' a bit too far for his liking.

Dean gives Cas one last glare before muttering "Fine, but I want my bow and arrows back" he holds his hands out towards Meg.

She pulls them off her back and places them into Dean's hand but keeps hold off them.

"Just know, if you even try to shoot one of them arrows at me, I'll have my knife sunken into your chest before you can even realise that it's happening" she smiles as she shoves the weapons into Deans chest.

He stalks off, walking swiftly through the trees, assuring he was always at least 10 metres in front of Meg and Castiel. Cas doesn't bother trying to catch Dean up, he knows he won't go too far and need to give him some time to let his anger brew down.

They walk for a while; Dean can hear Cas and Meg behind him, talking between one and other in hushed tones. It makes Dean uneasy at home easy Cas gives his trust away.

Dean tries to take his mind of it by hunting but it doesn't really work, he snatches a bird that would do for the night ahead but he can't focus properly on it and makes a few lousy shots, he has to makes sure he's in earshot of Meg and Cas all the time. You don't get second chances in a place like this.

They find a large tree with wide, curving branches and decide to set up camp for the night before it gets too late to start a fire and cook the bird Dean had caught.

Castiel sits himself down beside Dean, placing his hand into his, entwining their fingers together. A small gesture that Dean takes with open arms, he can't stay mad with Cas over something so stupid when their days together are so limited. Dean strokes the side of Castiel's face with his other hand and steals a light kiss before Meg can even see it's happened.

"I hate this so much Dean, why are we being punished like this? Don't we deserve to be-"

Castiel is cut off by the sound of the anthem, ringing out through the trees, signifying the end of the day, causing all three tributes to look up. Only one death today and they already know who it's going to be before his face pops up into the sky. Crowley.

"Great ugly brute" Meg whispers, tracing circles into the ground with her knife as his eyes shine out through the arena.

They eat there dinner in mostly silence, the only sound being bones scrapping against one another.

Cas looks up in the air as he chucks his last bone onto the ground. "Mmm, it's getting late"

"I'll take first watch" Dean quickly states.

"Oh no you don't, do I look like I was born yesterday to you Dean? Asleep soon as mine and lover boy's eyes over there close, I've got a very strong feeling something pointy is going to be wedged very hard into my chest." She narrows her eyes and stares at him, licking her teeth as she does so.

Dean doesn't disagree with her "Well it's pretty obvious why you're not going to be watching, isn't it?" he replies.

She doesn't disagree with Dean either, instead both of them turn to Castiel.

"Guess it's up to you Clarence" Meg chuckles to herself.

Castiel nods. "That's fine" he says, he's exhausted but he knows it's more important for Dean to sleep, he's the one that's got to win, that stands any chance at winning, he would happily give his life so Dean could live his. He knows Dean will hate him for the rest of his life but at least this way Dean will have a life.

He just needs to find a way to get rid of himself when the time comes and for not only his own, but Dean's sake as well he hopes it's quick.

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><p><strong>xox<strong>


	15. Giving Up?

**Whats this? An update? There can only be one explanation: Alternate universe me is actually working on her fanfiction and has seeped through a hole in time and space! **

**No :P but seriously guys this update has been looooooong overdue and all I can really say is viola and enjoy.**

**xx**

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><p>Castiel lets out a massive yawn as he looks up at the fake sky looming above him, shadowing the arena that is just about to break dawn. His eyelids feel as if they've been in a brutal car accident and it's nothing short of a miracle he's managed to stay awake all night... a miracle that comes in the form of Dean Winchester. In fact Dean was the only reason he was even alive right now.<p>

Cas looks down at his face, snuggled into the side of his sleeping bag near his leg. Dean looks so calm it reminds Cas of when they were children. He hasn't seen this Dean for as long as he can remember, the one without responsibilities of looking after himself and his brother, the one who isn't fighting for his life against his best friend and now, lover?... It's in this moment that Cas realises he would give anything for him and Dean to come out of this, together. To have a life together. Him, Dean and Sam. If there was anyway, anyway at all he knows he'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Morning Clarence"

Cas jumps, startled by Megs voice, dropping the stick he had been tossing between his hands in an attempt to stay awake. He was focusing too much on Deans sleeping figure to notice that she had woke up, a mistake that could easily have cost them both their lives had Meg took the opportunity. Its mistakes and moments like this that reinforce to himself that Dean not only must, but can only be the one to win and become victor. He didn't stand a chance but Dean... Dean has more than a chance. Dean has hope.

"Morning" Cas quietly replies, letting out a small cough as he does so, his throat is raspy and dry. He searches around for his water bottle but discovers its bone dry after attempting to tap even the smallest drops left into his mouth without much luck.

"Here" Meg says, throwing a water bottle directly at him. She throws it with a bit more force than necessary meaning when Cas pulls his hand up to grab it he feels the tight sting of the bottle as it makes contact with his hand.

"Ahh" he moans, his body already soar from the vast amount of injuries and endurance he's had to cope with in the arena.

"God, you're like a baby in a trench coat" Meg shrivels her face up in disapproval.

"Hmpff" Cas lets out a small grumble of disapproval himself. It wasn't the first time that insult had been used on him in the arena and he didn't particularly like that it was sticking. Dean had called him the same thing merely days ago. _He_ knew he was a lost cause but does this mean everyone else does too?

Cas shakes his head, removing the thought. This is exactly what Meg wants, to get under his skin, to make him think. Too much thinking is bad; too much thinking will get you killed.

He pulls the bottle up to his mouth and takes large gulps from it; the feel of the liquid running down his throat feels so good it takes a lot of will from him to stop drinking to save some for later.

Cas feels a hand clasp around his thigh and jumps up on to his feet for the second time in a matter of minutes.

He hadn't realised having Meg around would put him on edge so much, he understood where Dean was coming from not wanting to let Meg stay with them... but old habits die hard, she saved his life and he owed her for that.

"Hey, what's up?" Dean whispers, quickly removing himself from the sleeping bag and grabbing his bow and arrows that were laid directly next to him and pulling them up into a striking position in response to his sudden movement.

"Nothing Dean, you just startled me, Sorry" Cas replies, stroking his hand through his messy hair before sitting back down against a wide tree trunk.

Dean nods and sighs in relief before moving and sitting down next to Cas. He moves slowly and its evident from his face that he's just as sore as Cas is.

"Your eye" Cas states to Dean, he hadn't noticed it in the sleeping bag but now he can see Deans left eye is bruised and slightly swollen.

"What..." Dean says, bringing his hand up to his eye and flinching as he touches it. "Ahh" he grumbles "I caught a branch running away from Crowley yesterday, didn't feel that bad though, thought it would just leave a scratch at most"

Cas brings his hand up to Deans eye, lightly moving it across the bruising around his eye. Carrassing it.

"Hey Cas" he jumps again, pulling his hand quickly back.

" Looks like someone's a bit jumpy, wouldn't have anything to do with me would it?" Meg questions playfully. You can almost see the satisfaction gleaming in her eyes as she scans the two of them over.

Cas opens his mouth to reply but before he can Dean cuts him off.

"In case you haven't noticed _Meg..." _he says her name as if it's some sort of deadly disease.

"...We're in an arena full of people wanting to kill us. So if he wasn't a little jumpy I'd be worried. That's the thing with people like you. You get too confident and before you can even bat your pretty little eyelids you're six feet under because you were so sure nothing could ever touch you."

"Well, that escalated quickly. Oh Dean, do you really think my eyelids are pretty" she teases, blowing a kiss in his direction.

"It's always a joke with you, can you not be serious for once if your fucking life? You're too cocky for your own good and it's going to get you killed, preferably by me."

"Dean...stop" Cas places his hand on deans shoulder in an effort to calm him down. He can tell the arenas having a strain on him even if he can't see it himself.

"Yeah Dean, If I was you I'd listen to your lover boy and shut the hell up before you say something you regret" she sneers at him pulling up her knife as she prolongs the last word.

He ignores Cas.

"Oh c'mon put your knife down. You're not going to do anything. In case you haven't realised you're outnumbered Meg. Cas may think he owes you, and _sureee_ he wont deal you the final blow, but when it really comes down to it, if the two of us are fighting it out who do you think he'll help? Because my bet certainly isn't on you"

"Ha!" she laughs out loud. "That may be true but I'm certainly not out skilled. You boys have got a little thing called 'Love' at your disadvantage. Sure I might have a little trouble taking you both at once but once I kill one of you, I'm pretty sure the other is going to be too distraught to even realise I'm about to stab them just like I did that brute Crowley unless of course this _relationship_ is just all an act for sponsors, which i've got to admit is a clever strategy"

"You don't know shit about me and Cas!" Dean spits on the floor and stands up, raising his bow and arrow to directly point at Megs chest. She reacts by bring up her knife in defence.

"BOTH OF YOU STOP RIG-!" Cas begins to shout but is interrupted by Dean placing his hand tightly over his mouth.

"Shh!" Meg and Dean whisper in unison. Both turn to stare at him, dropping there weapons slightly but not by much. Dean struggles with his bow and arrows in one arm.

"What the hell Cas! Do you realize what you've just done? You've probably just alerted about 90% of the fucking arena to where we are, you assbutt!" Dean whispers, removing his hand from Castiels mouth.

"Well I had to get both of your attentions somehow, you two were one swear word away from killing each other and I can't let that happen, not on my watch" Cas sighs out loud.

"Shucks Clarence I'm honoured..." Meg smiles '...but as much as I hate to admit it, your lover boy is... right. Someone's bound to have heard you."

"So what do you propose we do?" Cas asks.

"Nothing" Meg states as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. Dean and Cas look at her blankly which urges her to carry on talking. "Just sit down, have your weapons out but don't talk for a while, if anyone is close we'll be able to hear them before they're too close. Three versus One is easy pickings."

"Mmm, Okay" Dean nods his head. "I can see where you're coming from, even if you are a bitch."

"Enough! Okay Enough!" Cas interrupts before the two start fighting again. "I want you both to swear to a truce...now!"

"Oh c'mon Cas you can't be serious" Dean moans.

"Deadly serious. Do it" Cas replies.

Dean turns to face Meg, who shrugs "I will if you do Dean"

"Uggh fine, whatever, Truce" he reluctantly holds his hand out to Meg who grabs hold of it and shakes before repeating his words.

"Truce, Now shut up before somebody finds us"

A couple of hours go by with silence, well mostly silence. The occasional twig breaks but nothing comes of it. Probably the wind or an animal scurrying along. They had gotten lucky.

A rumble breaks the silence. "sorry, my stomach" Dean says and gets up, walking over to his bag and searching the contents of it.

"We need more food" Dean states after searching and revealing nothing but bones inside the small container that they've been keeping their meat in.

"Mmm , really? What gave it away" Cas replies jokingly hinting towards Deans stomach.

Dean makes a face at Cas "Hey, I'm a growing boy you know" He jumps up, bow and arrows already in his hand.

"I'll just collect enough for food for today then and I'll be right back" Dean says eyeing Meg cautiously. " ...I love you Cas" He bends down and places a soft kiss on his lips. Cas smiles, its still sounds so weird coming out of Deans mouth but he knows he means it. The smile doesn't stay on his lips for long though. This could very possibly be the last time he ever sees Dean.

A few seconds pass before he replies.

"I..I love you too Dean" Cas replies softly, staring straight into his rich green eyes for perhaps a bit longer than he should have.

"Are you okay Cas? You seem a little... off" Dean stares at him.

"Yeah I'm fine, just tired I guess, I'll see you soon, be careful" he shrugs, he was always a bad lier but maybe Dean wouldn't see through him if what he was saying was technically true even though it wasn't the answer he was looking for.

For a moment it looks like Dean is going to go further with it but instead he lets out a fake laugh "Don't I always look after myself!" he says as he's leaving through the trees, snapping several twigs as he walks.

Cas waits until Deans footsteps have disappeared before turning around to face Meg.

"Meg, I need to ask you for a favour" he states hesitantly. Dean will be mad at him for the rest of his life but it's his only choice, he can't let the alternative happen.

"Depends what it is Clarence, a girl can only do so much when in a situation like this." She says, throwing a berry up into the air and cathing it perfectly in her mouth.

"Trust me, you'll be able to do this and...you'll be somewhat willing"

"Well just spit it out already"

Cas sighs before stuttering it out. "I...I...I need you to kill me"

Meg grins. "Now that I can do."

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><p><strong>Reviews would mean alot to me guys! Let me know of any characters you'd like to see involved x<strong>


	16. Betrayal

**More than slightly ashamed that it has taken me this long to update this fanfic but its here now and that is all that matters. Right? RIGHT?**

**I apologize in advance if there are any spacing errors, my laptop is pretty much on its last leg and its keyboard is a nightmare so if there are any they'll be sure to be fixed soon.  
><strong>

**Enjoy x**

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><p>"So when do you want to do this?" Meg asks casually, acting as if he had just asked her to help him do something like build a fire, not take his life.<p>

"Soon" Cas replies back. "It needs to be before...before Dean gets back" Saying his name gives him a pit, deep in the bottom of his stomach. Dean will never forgive him for this but they've ran out of options, Castiel knows he has to die. He wants nothing more than to die in Deans arms, to have Dean be the last thing he ever see's...but he couldn't do that to him. He won't and can't let that level of guilt become Deans burden for the rest of his life. This way is...easier, for the both of them.

Meg stares at him. "You really do surprise me, you know?"

"Huh?" Cas shrugs.

"Well it's just, I thought that your lot were all a bunch of cowards, you know, worshipping god and all that crap, but you, you're...different. I certainly didn't think I'd be killing anyone willingly when I stepped into this arena" her voice becomes softer for a moment before she realizes she has let her guard down a little too much and quickly snaps back to her normal self.

"And to think, I didn't even have to torture you" she smirks.

"Well, there's still time" Cas replies back to her, letting her have her fun, keeping up appearences. After all when Dean wins shes going to be in the exact same place that he is so what does it matter.

"...there isn't though, I mean not really. We don't know how long Dean will be gone and if he comes back before I do it, well who knows if there will even be another opportunity before someone else comes along?" she questions him.

She wasn't just saying it because she wanted him dead, she was saying it because it was true and they both knew it. Cas was living on mere minutes if he was serious about this.

Cas nods. "He said he was only going to get enough food for today. We need to do it n..n..now"

Meg nods, mimicking Cas.

"Well...I don't usually take requests but since it's you Clarence, how do you want me to do it?" Cas isn't sure if shes trying to be nice or if shes making some sick joke at his expensive.

He thinks about it for a while before deciding to answer anyway.

"I think...drowing, it seems kind of peaceful"

"Peaceful?" Meg raises her eyebrows. "What is so peaceful about splashing. Having your legs and arms kicking around, desperately struggling for air whilst your lungs fill up with water."

"I know that bit isn't peaceful but that only lasts for like a minute before you blackout and I just.. I don't know. They say after that bit that you just slip away... its almost like dreaming. You see the people you love just before you die as if you're asleep and I think theres something quite magical about that"

"You make it sound like bloody Disneyland" she pretends to be sick. "The pleasures of the capitol children eh"

Cas ignores the comment although he's pretty sure Meg won't be getting sponsors anytime soon after she's said that.

"...and it won't leave any blood" Cas states, pausing and taking a deep breath before continuing "If Dean sees my body before they take it away I want if to still look like me, not all cut up and bloody"

Meg laughs at that. "Haha, hate to break it to you buddy but you're already rather cut up, and you're not exactly Misha Collins right now are ya?" she grins.

"Who" Cas asks, his face scrunching up in confusion.

"Misha Collins... famous actor in the Capitol, insanely good looking, literally everyone knows who he is..." she states.

Cas looks at her blankly.

"Oh forget it!" she moans.

"Is there any water around here?" Cas asks, pulling them both back to the task at hand.

"Urrm, i think there is some sort of pond just up the hill there" she points up. "There will be enough water in it to drown you if thats really how you want me to do it?" she questions.

Castiel nods, if he can't see Dean again before he dies atleast he can see the image of him in his head before the blackness swallows him whole.

He gets up off the ground and begins to walk carefully towards where Meg had pointed. She follows just behind him. Her knife clasped tightly in her hand.

He steps on as many leaves and twigs as he can, feeling the crunch underneath his shoes as he walks. They walk for only a couple of minutes until they arrive at a small area of water. To call it a pond was a slight exaggeration, it almost looked like the game makers has purposely placed the water there amongst a small dip in the grass and dirt just for them.

"Soooo, you ready?" she asks.

Cas looks down. "I don't think I'll ever be ready" he replies taking a few steps into the small pond. The water is freezing cold but he doesn't moan. It's hardly the time to do so. He stops when the water is up to his knees, and turns back around to face Meg. The bottom of his trench coat lays on the top of the water like a small moat around his body.

Meg takes a few steps forward aswell, emersing the bottom part of her legs into into the water. There's barely enough room for the two of them.

"Meg, No matter how much I struggle or squirm or try and beg, once you pull me under the water, please just don't let me resurface for _any _reason. No matter what I do, you make sure I've blacked out before you let go" he almost pleads.

"Relax Cas, It's not like you're the first person I've killed now, is it? I'm pretty sure if I've survived this long in the arena I can hold down your frail body under the water for a couple of minutes... you haven't exactly got what i'd call muscles have you" she states bluntly.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right... lets... just get this over with then" he sighs deeply and closes his eyes for a moment. A pang of guilt goes through him as he thinks of his family, how shaming this must be for them but the thought is gone just as quick as it appears. Now there is only one thing on his mind, one person. He can see the image of Deans face so clearly in his mind that he dare not open his eyes, soaking in every last little detail.

Meg hesitates before moving closer towards him.

"You really love him don't you?" she almost whispers.

Cas opens his eyes to look at her and nods his head in reply.

"I can't... imagine a world without him and this way I won't have to, so I guess you were wrong. I am a coward"

"Maybe" she agrees.

"...But I don't see how in any way giving up your life for Dean is in anyway cowardly...even if it's gonna be pointless since I'm going to win. But it must be nice to feel like that about someone...to want to die for them. There certainly isn't anyone in my life that I'd die for. I know its stupid but ya know sometimes I think I have a heart of stone or something, great for the arena but not so great pretty much everywhere else"

"You don't really believe that do you?" Cas asks geniunely.

She shrugs, batting her knife against the side of her leg. "I don't know, I just- yeah I suppose, I mean why shouldn't I? I've done terrible, evil things and they cant be undone and given the chances a thousand times over I would still make those decisions."

As if to make her point Meg brings one of her hands up and grabs the back of Castiels neck securely. "You ready?" she asks.

"Y-" Before Cas can even finish the word his face is thrusted into the water. He is taken by surprise and fights the force of Megs hand pulling him under, thrashing and splurting in a desperate attempt to cough. His foot slips on the waterbed and he slides down onto his knees. He struggles against her, his hands pushing up against the bottom of the pond but she was right, shes too strong for him to successfully fight back. He continues to push and wriggle against her though. No matter how much he convinces himself this is what he wants his body can't lie, its human instinct for him to atleast try to survive.

"Sorry Clarence" Meg says almost apologetically, although Cas can't quite make out what she said with the water filling his ears. To him its just an inaudible mumble.

He fights for what to him feels like an eternity but in reality could have only been a minute before his struggling slows down. His body was in pain before but this was worse. Now his lungs are burning, desperate for air but his deep breaths only make it worse, gulping the water deep down into his lungs and making his head jolt in at attempt to cough and choke. He can feel the pressure of the blood at the back of his eyes, pulsing. They feel like they're about to explode, his eyelids are too heavy, he can't keep them open anymore...It stops. Everything stops. He can feel himself slipping away and just as he had hoped Dean is there. A image of him so clear it could only be a dream. There is sound, more inauidable mumbling but Cas can't hear. All he can do is see Dean.

He takes in the image and begins to let the darkness engulf him but before it can suddenly his head is jolted up and out of the water. He gasps, his breathing deep and thick, sucking up every morsle of air his lungs can take in.

"Me...g, I told...you... to not...let me...go till I...was...dead" he spits out between heavy breaths.

He feels arms snake around his waist and hoist him out of the water, throwing him with force on to the dirt pile beside the pond. These arms were too broad to be Megs, he could tell whose arms these were from the touch. They were Deans.

Cas spreads his hands across the dirt, clenching it as he violently coughs up the water in his lungs. He brings his hands to his eyes, rubbing them. Trying to cleary his blurry vision but hes slow. It feels as if his body is being held down by rocks and every little movement he makes is extremely painful.

As his vision returns he notices Meg. She is laying a few meters away from him, unconscious. A large rock lays next to her, stained in what appears to be her own blood.

He splurts and turns his head to see Dean walking forward towards her, her knife held firmly in his hand.

"NO, DE...AN!" Cas struggles to catch his breath, throwing his hand out towards them. Its obvious what hes about to do but Cas can't reach her, his body is too exhausted.

Dean stabs the knife down into her head and as he does so the booming sound of the cannon strikes just above them.

"H...H...How d...did you k...know" Cas wheezes out.

Dean throws a piece of paper the size of a fortune in a fortune cookie at him. It lands in the mud next to him.

'_Thought you should know that lover boys about to do something pretty fucking stupid – Balthazar'_

Dean looks over to Cas now with puffy, watery eyes. _"_How could you do this to _me_?".


End file.
